Daughter Of The Duelist Legend
by lethalty60
Summary: I got to thinking, what if the Pharaoh lost his duel against Marik at the end of Season 3? What will they do now? Heads up, guys! Marik's plan to become the new Pharaoh has been delayed long enough for Yugi's child to build a strong enough rep! Yugi and Dark Magician are added for supporting the child. T for the violence.
1. Mission to Rescue

a/n I've decided to have everyone the same age, except for Yugi, which would be awkward for him still being in high school age with a child. He'll have the voice of the Pharaoh, too. (His child will be his first height, though.) Also, credits belong to Konami and those that created the anime/manga!

* * *

~Shadow Realm~

While a boy of seventeen (But short) looked around the place he was at, a man who looks like an older version of him was there, thinking of the last duel they had. They each have a small scaled version of a golden pyramid on a chain.

"So _this_ ," the boy said, "is what it's like living in the Shadow Realm, right, Pharoah?"

"That's right, Yugi!" The Pharaoh said. "It seems that way, so our last duel has brought us here! What I seem to misunderstand is how Merrik was able to defeat us! I don't know how he did it, but I can think of only one way for us to leave."

As he said that, a magician appeared in front of them. She was dressed in a cloak that reaches her knees, with shoulder pads as part of it. She also had a wand that can conjure darkness.

"Pharaoh!" She cried out. "Why are you here in the Shadow Realm?!"

"Dark Magician Girl!" Yugi exclaimed. "Well, we kinda lost a duel, so here we are!"

"He's right!" Pharaoh said. "Because of that, we ended up here. Is there any way out?"

The Dark Magician Girl thought for a bit. "W-Well," she said blushing, "there's only one way to happen, but it may take too long! There's another threat happening that can destroy both the Shadow Realm _and_ mankind!"

"Dark Magician Girl," Pharaoh said, "if it means what I think you mean, maybe Yugi can work it out quickly!"

"It may work, Pharaoh!" she said. "I just need Yugi to follow me!" And she left them.

Yugi was about to follow her, but the Pharaoh stopped him.

"One last thing, Yugi!" he warned. "No matter what you see, get done what needs to be done."

"Don't worry, Pharaoh!" Yugi said. "It has to be done if both realms have to be safe!"

~Time skip of 18 years~

A girl of about seventeen years old is deciding how to finish off her opponent before coming to a conclusion inside the Shadow Realm.

"First off," she began, "I'll start by playing the Magic card Magic Formula on Dark Magician Girl, giving her an additional 700 ATK points! Then I'll play this Magic card known as Cold Wave, so you can't play any face down! Letting me use my Dark Magician to attack your face down monster without worry!"

Her opponent revealed the monster, then put it in his graveyard. "You're Kuriboh is destroyed," she said. "But I'm not done yet! Because you have no more monsters on the field, I can use Dark Magician Girl to end this duel! Bringing your Life Points to…" She counted with her fingers. "…zero, so you lose!"

Her opponent got up and held out his hand! "Nice job, Yume!" he said. "I think you're ready now!"

"Thanks, Father!" she said. "I can do well against this threat. If I can beat you at your best, I know I can beat _anyone_ in a duel!"

"It's almost time, Yugi!" Pharaoh said behind Yugi, causing him to jump.

"Huh? Oh, right, Pharaoh!"

Yugi turned to Yume. "One last thing, Yume!" He took his pyramid from around his neck and handed it to her.

Yume is shocked to see what's going to happen. "Father, I can't!" She exclaimed wide-eyed. "That's your Millennium Puzzle!"

"Listen, Yume!" Her father explained. "This puzzle is very important! You may not need it now, but one day you _will_ need it!"

"He's right, Yume!" Pharaoh added. "The puzzle was very important to Yugi, which is how he met me in the first place! The puzzle is too important to lose! Never leave it out of your sight!"

"Y-You're right!" Yume said as she took the puzzle and hid it in her coat.

"Another thing!" Yugi added. "When you _do_ make it, the first person you have to see is my grandpa! He owns a game shop, so maybe he can help you! His name is Solomon Muto.

"But the thing is, he has to know you first, so it may be a problem!"

"It's nearly time, Pharaoh!" The Dark Magician Girl showed up behind Yume, causing _her_ to jump.

"So this is it, then?" Yume said. "I'll miss you three a lot!"

"Don't worry, Yume!" Dark Magician Girl reassured. "If you keep us close, we'll be there at your most need!"

"Another thing!" Pharaoh said. "You need to keep your true identity a secret, so use your middle name as though it was your last until somebody caught on! And that puzzle will be evidence, because…"

"Ever since I finished it," Yugi finished, "I never took it off! When you have it, people will think none other that you're none other than my daughter when they see it!"

"I will do my best, Father!"And with that, a dark portal showed up. Yume turned to it. "Here I go!" And she entered it.

When Yume left, Yugi looked at Dark Magician Girl and he realized how much he really did loved her.

~Domino City Plaza~

A portal showed up in a back alley. Yume stepped out of it, and the portal disappeared.

"Okay!" she said. "One thing at a time! First thing's first, find Yugi's grandpa!"

The main thing is though, she has no idea where to go, so she decides to find Yugi's friends.

"Téa," she said quietly to herself, "Joey, and Tristan! Hope I can find them!"

While she looked for them, she bumped into a girl in front of her.

"Oh dear!" She exclaimed. "I'm _very_ sorry! I didn't mean-"

She stopped to see that this person is familiar to one of her father's friends.

"It's alright!" she said. "Actually, have you seen Yugi? I can't find him anywhere!"

"I know," Yume answered darkly, "where he might be, though. But not right now!" She added cheerfully. "I'm looking for a game shop! You know where one is?"

The other girl took some time before deciding. "There is one _I_ know of that belongs to Yugi's grandfather! Is that where you want to go?"

"Yes! That's where I was looking, but I don't know the way. Think you could help me?"

"Sure, I could!" Then she remembered something else. "Oh! Almost forgot! I'm Téa Gardner! What's your name?"

Yume started having thoughts about her name. _Just do what the Pharaoh said,_ she thought. "I'm Yume Orskov!"

So along the way, Téa tried to get to know Yume better, but she stayed silent because Yume doesn't want anyone to know that Yugi's her father except his grandfather.

"So, here we are, Yume!" Téa announced. "I hope it all works well here!"

"Me too!" Yume agreed. "Hope you find Yugi, too!"

Yume entered the shop while Téa left her.

She saw an older man. _He,_ she thought, _must be Yugi's grandfather, Solomon Muto._

"Hello there!" she said.

"Oh! Hi, there!" He greeted kindly. "I'm sorry for the delay, but I've been lonely ever since my little Yugi left me!"

"That's kinda the reason why I'm here!" Yume tried to explain. "Ever known _these_ cards?" She took out her deck and removed five cards from it, showing them to Solomon.

He looked at them, then gasped. "The five pieces of Exodia? But how did you-"

"There's a reason why!" Yume explained. "I also have other familiar cards in my Duel Monsters deck! Know these?" She took back the Exodia cards and took out two different cards.

He looked at those two, and started noticing something else. "That's," he said, "the Dark Magician _and_ Dark Magician Girl! But if you have them all, then that means…It can't be!"

"It is!" Yume said. "My name is Yume Muto! And I am the daughter of your grandson, Yugi!"

"It can't be!" Solomon said surprised. "But then, do you know _this_ card?" He took out a box and opened it.

Yume saw the card and immediately knows it. "That," she said, "is the Blue Eyes White Dragon! A good friend of yours gave it to you."

"Hmm," Solomon said, "well, if you know that much, then-" He took a better look on her! "Actually, you _do_ look a lot like my grandson, but the gender is the only difference! Thank you for dropping by, Yume! I really-"

But he didn't get any further because the door opened suddenly. A man who looks younger than Yugi's grandpa, but around the same age as Yume stepped in.

He had a suitcase in one hand, and dressed like a successful business leader man would. "Can I help you, Kaiba?" Solomon asked.

 _Kaiba?!_ Yume thought. _I better be careful around him! He's Seto Kaiba, the one who Father talked about being eternal rivals with! He's also the CEO of Kaiba Corporation._

Kaiba looked at Yume, shrugged, and saw the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Instantly, he changed expression.

"That's," he said surprisingly, "a Blue Eyes White Dragon!" He quickly approached him, but bumping into Yume unknowingly, knocking her into a chair. "How were you able to have such a rare card?!"

"An old friend of mine gave it to me! You know, I learned that the Blue Eyes White Dragon is a four-of-a-kind rare Duel Monsters card! What got you interested in it, Kaiba?"

Kaiba put the briefcase he was holding on the table and showed the contents inside to Solomon. He was surprised to see the contents of the briefcase.

"All these rare cards," Kaiba offered, "are yours for the Blue Eyes in exchange!"

"I'm actually surprised," he said, "that you have these kinds of cards, Kaiba. But I'm afraid I have to refuse! This card means more to me than any other!"

"Well," Kaiba tried again, "if I can't trade it from you, then name your price because I'll buy the card then!"

"It's not for sale, Kaiba! Nothing you say will let me give up this card!"

Kaiba was taken back by what he said. "Fine then!" Kaiba said darkly while walking away. "Just remember you are making a _big_ mistake!"

He left, leaving Yume and her great-grandpa alone with each other.

"I'll, uh," she said slowly, "I'll be going now!"

"Take care, Yume!"

She left, but then saw Téa out by the entrance. "Hey," she said, "did Kaiba showed up? I saw him near the store."

"Yeah, he did!" Yume answered. "He kind of got on my nerves when he tried to get the Blue Eyes White Dragon from Mr. Muto, though!"

So Téa also told her that she can see her friends, who were also Yugi's, so she agreed. Then Téa brought Yume to a nearby park, where she they saw a man there.

"Hey, Téa!" said a guy. "What took you so long? And who's your new friend?"

"Hey, Joey!" she said. "This is my new friend, Yume Orskov! I recently met her at the plaza while looking for Yugi! Do you know where he's been?"

"No luck, Téa! Tristen and I have looked all over for him! Nice to meet you, Yume! Joey Wheeler is who I am! Yugi's been with me ever since _before_ his puzzle! I've been friends with him since then, like it was yesterday is how I remember it!"

"I know something else, too!" Yume said. "But I don't want to talk about it yet!" She added quietly. "Maybe later when you know the whole truth!"

"Huh? You said something, Yume?"

"Huh?! N-Nothing!"

"Hey!" Téa said. "What's going on over there?"

They looked and saw a very high building, where an old man was being escorted there with two businessmen.

"That's Solomon, Yugi's grandpa!" Yume cried out. "Come on!"

She ran over to the tower, with Téa and Joey at her heels!

When they got to the entrance to the tower, they saw another man by the doors!

"Come on, Kaiba!" He shouted. "Just go easy on the old man there!"

"Tristen?" Téa said. He turned around.

"Thank goodness you guys are here!" he said. "Kaiba's got Yugi's grandfather in there!"

While Yugi's friends were discussing about something, Yume noticed a glow in her coat pocket, unaware that the cause was the Millennium Puzzle. When she looked in it, a flash happened, causing her to shut her eyes.

~Shadow Realm~

When she opened them, she saw a familiar place. Somewhere in the distance is someone familiar that she knows.

"Father?" She called out.

The man turned around and, seeing Yume, walked up to her.

"Yume!" He said, but he wasn't Yugi. "I'm glad to see you! How's everything going?"

"A bit unwell, Pharaoh!" Yume explained everything to the Pharaoh from the moment she entered the Human Realm to what's happening now.

"And now," she finished, "I may have to help Father's grandpa! So I guess this is when all my training is put to use, right?"

"Yes indeed! Remember that your father is counting on you! Just remember his reputation and the heart of the cards."

"I won't forget, Pharaoh!"

~Domino City, Kaiba Corps Entrance~

And with that, she slowly opens her eyes again, this time she's on the ground near the entrance to Kaiba Corps. She got up, but noticed that Téa, Joey and Tristan were on their knees and were surprised seeing Yume getting up so fast!

"WOAH, Yume!" Joey said. "Take it easy there!"

"So you're Yume, right?" Tristan asked. "I'm Tristan! Tristan Taylor, and one of Yugi's friends, too!"

"No time!" She said quickly. "We need to stop Kaiba _immediately_!"

"Just follow us, Yume!" Téa said as they all make their way to Kaiba's office floor at the top of the tower using the elevator.

When they got there, though, they saw Solomon down on the floor.

"Mr. Muto!" Yume called out and ran to him.

"Yume!" he said slowly. "Please, turn back! Before it's too late."

Another door opened, revealing Kaiba, holding a Blue Eyes White Dragon and smiling.

"I knew it!" Kaiba said. "I knew it all along!"

"What did you do, Kaiba?!" Yume demanded.

"Not much!" He started. "You see, I made a deal with him, where the loser gives up his rarest card! But his mind and body was too much against my Virtual Reality system. He was too easy to break _again_!

"And," he said as he tore up the card he held, "it was all worth it!"

"Kaiba!" Yume said, getting angry. "I had ENOUGH!"

Téa, Joey, Tristan, _and_ Solomon were surprised to see Yume's anger explode. "You want a duel, Kaiba!" she said angrily. "You'll get one! FROM ME!"

"Yeah right!" He started to refuse. "Like I'll ever-huh?!" He stopped as Yume pulled out a Duel Monsters deck and approaching Kaiba. "On second thought," he countered, "maybe it won't be so easy with you, Yume! You'll get your duel because I accept your offer!"

"Joey," Yume said, "Téa and Tristan, get Yugi's grandpa to a hospital _now_! _I'll_ deal with Kaiba here!"

"You got it, Yume!" Joey agreed. "But I'm staying here to support you!"

"And another thing, Yume!" Téa added. "We're all tied to Yugi's friendship! But still, be careful with him! There's no telling what he has up his sleeve."

"Thanks!" Yume said as she and Joey followed Kaiba to his dueling spot.

"This place," he said, "is where we'll duel! Believe me, Yume, when I say that you never seen anything like it!"

"Let's just duel already, Kaiba!"

"After this duel, Yume," Kaiba added as they were ready for their duel, "you'll experience Duel Monsters in a whole new way! Because I'm starting things off by attacking with Hitotsu-Me Giant! You've never experienced dueling like this before!" An Ogre Giant showed up on Kaiba's side, and let out a short growl!

"Impossible!" Yume shouted. "You brought the monster to life!"

"The reason why," he countered, "is because of my virtual simulator, it creates life-like holograms of every monster we summon!"

"So this," Yume said, "is how you beat Yugi's grandpa! But it's my turn, and I call upon the Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress!"

A dragon showed up just as Joey suddenly showed up after being delayed.

"Woah!" he exclaimed. "I never thought I'd see dueling like _this_ again!"

"Now, FIRE BALL ATTACK!" The Dragon attacked the giant, destroying it! Kaiba grunted as he lost Life Points, starting at 2000.

"Big Brother!" A young boy showed up by Kaiba's side. "You alright?!"

"Nice job, Yume!" Joey cheered.

"Nice play, Yume!" Kaiba commented, but got serious. "For a beginner, that is! So how can you deal with this!" A clown of darkness showed up, laughing as he was summoned.

"Saggi the Dark Clown?" Yume asked. "But it's practically useless against my dragon!"

"Even though," Kaiba countered easily, "you're dragon has 1400 ATK Points, and my Dark Clown at a measly 600, But when I combine him with _this_ -"

A Magic card showed up, looking sinister. "Negative Energy Generator?!" Yume cried out, knowing the card. "Yes, and it multiplies his Attack Points by three, bringing it up to 1800 _and_ making it stronger than your dragon! Now, ATTACK WITH DARK LIGHT!" The clown brought out its dark magic and struck the dragon, destroying it.

"So you see, Yume!" Kaiba gloated as Yume lost Life Points. "Combining cards can be a huge advantage!"

 _He's very good!_ Yume thought. _I better be careful with him because he knows every aspect of the game._ _But Father,_ she thoughtfully added, _is putting his faith in me. I have to win!_ _And I_ can _do this! There's something secret about this deck!_ Yume looked at her hand. _There's_ nothing _I can beat the Dark Clown with, so I better protect my Life Points!_

With every monster Yume played in Defense, it was countered by Kaiba's clown with Dark Light! "Stay tough, Yume!" Joey called out.

"You're just like how you dueled," Kaiba added, "like the old man I dueled earlier, Yume! His deck was as weak and feeble as he was!"

"Mr. Muto," Yume countered, "is a better duelist than you ever thought, _and_ a great man! When I first showed up in his game shop, he greeted me like an old friend would! And I can feel two presence in this deck! And I doubt you have the same faith in _your_ cards, Kaiba!"

"Huh?" He said quietly.

" _But_ ," Yume continued, "I believe in this deck!" She drew a card, which is a big help for her. "And _my_ faith," she added, "has given me Gaia, the Fierce Knight! Which has 2300 ATK Points of destruction!" Gaia showed up and attacked the Dark Clown on command, destroying it!

"NO!" Kaiba shouted as his life points went down to 1300.

"Nice job, Yume!" Joey cheered her on. "You got him on the run!"

"And now," she said, "it's your turn!" Kaiba drew his card, and laughed at what he had! "Face it, Yume!" he said. "This'll end sooner than you think! Because I call upon the Blue Eyes White Dragon!" A white dragon with blue eyes showed up on Kaiba's side and roared!

Yume gasped. "No way! I-Impossible!"

"We saw you," Joey argued, "tore up that card earlier! How is it possible?!"

"Surprised to see it?" Kaiba said. "He wasn't the only one who possessed one, you know!" The Blue Eyes attacked Gaia with White Lightning, destroying it!

"ARGH!" Yume cried out, losing Life Points!

"There goes the Fierce Knight!" Kaiba said. "Faith or not, you _will_ fall to _my_ superior monsters, Yume! Power is what it's all about, you fool!"

He commanded his Blue Eyes to attack another one of Yume's monsters, which is in Defense Mode, destroying it!

"Faith's for losers, like that old man!" Kaiba attacked another monster, which is also in Defense Mode. "There is _nothing_ ," Kaiba added, "that can destroy my Blue Eyes! So what's your hope against two?" Another Blue Eyes White Dragon showed up on Kaiba's side. "Just admit defeat, Yume!"

~Shadow Realm~

The Dark Magician Girl suddenly woke up in the Shadow Realm, causing Yugi to wake up, to. "What's going on, Dark Magician Girl?" he asked her, yawning.

"It's just that," she answered, "I fear our Yume might lose on her first duel!"

She turned to him. "And you won't believe who it is!"

"Seto Kaiba?"

"That's him!"

"Yume must never give up!" Yugi cried out. "We're counting on her to win this! For me _and_ you!"

~Domino City, Kaiba VS. Yume~

A Magic card just got on effect as Yume played Swords of Revealing Light. "This Magic card," she added, "prevents your attacks for three turns!"

"Impossible!" Kaiba shouted as Yume placed a monster in Defense Mode. "How can a three turn delay do for you?"

 _He's probably right,_ Yume thought, _how_ can _I stop an expert like Kaiba? All I have are…pieces, like a puzzle. Wait. PUZZLE?!_ Yume suddenly figured out how to defeat Kaiba! _There is a chance, but I'll have to be lucky on this one because no one has ever been able to collect all five pieces at once!_

"Enough stalling, Yume!" Kaiba shouted, taking her thoughts away. "Unless you want to forfeit the match!"

"I'll _never_ forfeit, Kaiba!" Yume countered as she drew. _Another one,_ she thought. _This could be very helpful._

"Draw whatever you can, Yume!" Kaiba said. "My dragons may be frozen for two more turns! But my new monster is under no such spell!" He placed a monster down. "Judge Man, with 2200 Attack Points!" Judge Man showed up and bashed Yume's face down with his club, destroying it!

Yume drew another good card. _Here goes nothing,_ she thought. _He better_ not _have another Blue Eyes in his hand!_ "I call upon the Dark Magician and use DARK MAGIC ATTACK on your Judge Man!" A Dark Magician showed up on Yume's side and attacked Kaiba's Judge Man with his magic, destroying it! "There goes His Honor!" she called out as Kaiba's Life Points drop to 1000!

"Even though," Kaiba said un-surprised as he drew his next card, "that sacrifice was useless, there's no way you can withstand… A 3rd Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Another Blue Eyes showed up on Kaiba's side.

"Now ATTACK!" The Blue Eyes struck the Dark Magician with white lightning, destroying him!

"ARGH!" Yume yelled out in pain as her Life Points drop to her last 400!

"Just face it, Yume!" Kaiba said. "No matter what card you draw, my Blue Eyes can destroy you on my next turn because they'll move after the following turn! So face it, Yume! You never stood a chance against me!"

"Don't you _ever_ listen to him, Yume!"

"There is _no way_ ," Kaiba said, "you can withstand my Blue Eyes after this turn! Just admit defeat and I'll go a bit easier on you!"

 _He,_ Yume thought, _had three all along! Only my great-grandpa had one and Kaiba took it from him, so it can't be used against him! But the odds of beating him are slim to none! I don't think I can do this!_ As she reached for another card with a heavy dose of doubt, her coat pocket glowed again, where the Millennium Puzzle is hidden! She looked and was forced to shut her eyes as a bright flash occurred.

~Shadow Realm~

She opened them, and see both her parents there, looking at her! She knew she was back in the Shadow Realm.

"Father!" she cried out. "Mother! What's going on?!"

"It's your doubt, my child!" Yugi said. "Me and the Dark Magician Girl sensed it, and immediately brought you here! Listen Yume! You're the only one capable of destroying this threat!"

"Please, Yume!" Dark Magician Girl said. "The fate of the Shadow Realm and Humankind rests upon you!"

"You guys-"

"ENOUGH!" Yugi shouted, causing his daughter to jump. "I, too," he confessed, "was in the same situation, too! Know how it happened?" She shook her head. "Look on your hand!" She did, and saw something else.

"The Friendship symbol?" she asked. "It was made with you, Téa, Tristan, and Joey, right?"

"That's right!" he said. "Now, regain your faith and beat Kaiba!"

"You're right, Father!" she said, getting better.

~Domino City, Kaiba VS. Yume~

She opened her eyes, to see that she was about to draw her card as she was close to having this duel come to an end! "I," she stated, "will _never_ give up! You will be defeated, _Kaiba_!"

"It doesn't matter, Yume!" he said. "Draw the last card, so _I_ can end it myself!"

"This doesn't matter Kaiba!" Yume said. "You may have all three Blue Eyes, but there is one thing you don't know about it!" She drew her card. Glad to see it, she laid down five cards while saying, "The unstoppable Exodia!"

"AH!" Kaiba cried out in fear. "Exodia?! No way!"

"Yes!" she said with confidence. "I have all five, every last piece, so that I can summon him!" A Spell Binding circle showed up while Yume explained about the construction of Exodia, revealing the pieces one by one, until the whole thing came together, to reveal the true monster that's an instant win.

"There's just _no way_ ," Kaiba said fearfully, "anyone would ever summon him before! I could think of one person, but I forgot their name!"

"Exodia," Yume commanded, "OBLITERATE!" Her Exodia started charging up its attack, then released it all on all three Blue Eyes White Dragons, destroying each one, and depleting the rest of Kaiba's Life Points!

"AHH!" Kaiba shouted out.

"Nice job, Yume!" Joey called out. "You did it! You kicked Kaiba's butt!"

* * *

Thank you for reading! If there's good reviews of this, I'll be sure to continue this series.


	2. A Take Down With The Moth

Thanks for the visits, guys! I feel like it'll gain more confidence for me to add more of this, so good luck!

Also, same disclaimers: Konami and the creators behind Yu-Gi-Oh take the credits. I only own Yugi's child.

* * *

~Duelist Kingdom~

As Yume and her friends, Joey, Téa and Tristan, were getting used to Duelist Kingdom, Yume is also on a mission to rescue her great-grandfather, Solomon's soul from Maximillion Pegasus.

"The only way to save him," Yume told her new friends, "is to beat Pegasus in a duel! But first, I'm gonna need nine more Star Chips!"

"And _I'll_ make sure," Joey added, "I come with you, Yume!"

"Thanks!" She said, then noticed someone else nearby. "Hey, is that-"

"Weevil Underwood!" Joey exclaimed.

"WEEVIL!" Yume shouted at him. "Come over here for a duel!"

But Weevil just turned around and walked away, laughing. Then he started running. "Get back here, Weevil!"

"I just don't understand!" Joey exclaimed. "Why would Weevil run?"

"Don't care, Joey!" Yume said angrily. "All I care about is defeating him!" And she ran after him.

"Hey, Yume!" Joey called out. "Wait for us!" Soon, all her friends started joining in, too.

 _I don't get it,_ Yume thought, _Weevil wanted to duel with me ever since we met! But why would he run from me? Unless…_ She figured it out. _This may have been part of the new rules that Weevil told me about! I better figure it out and fast!_ Yume soon reached the edge of the forest that Weevil ran into earlier, only to see him, smirking.

"Well, Yume," he announced, "once again you flew right into my trap!"

"Better explain yourself, Weevil!" Yume demanded, still having the memory of losing Exodia! "It's time we settle this with a duel!"

"I'll gladly accept it, YUME!" Weevil said as the ground shook.

"Is this an earthquake?!" Tristan shouted.

"What's going on, Weevil?" Yume shouted.

Weevil just snickered. When the ground finally separated in two, a dueling platform showed up. "Nice try, Yume!" Weevil said. "You stepped into a hornet's nest with no way out!"

"What's going on here?!"

"I'll see _you_ ," Weevil announced, "on the field!"

Both Weevil and Yume got ready and settled the bets. "If you win," Yume announced, "not only will you obtain my one star chip, you'll also take my Duel Monsters deck! But I'm taking your two Star Chips if _I_ win!"

"Now that," Weevil said happily, "is something I'll like! PREPARE TO DUEL!"

A crowd gathered just before Yume and Weevil were about to duel, and were surprised to see them dueling before the finals.

"Whenever you're ready, Weevil!"

"Squash this insect, Yume!" Joey cheered on.

Both Weevil and Yume drew their cards. "And now," Weevil announced, starting the duel, "I like to see you take on my Killer Needle!" A giant bee showed up.

"Try as you might, Weevil!" Yume said. "But first, get through my Mammoth Graveyard first! Which the attack points are tied! Mammoth Graveyard, ATTACK!"

Her Mammoth charged towards the Killer Needle, but Weevil had other plans. "Show that Mammoth your stinger, Killer Needle!" Weevil commanded. "ATTACK!"

Both monsters attacked each other at the same time, but the Mammoth Graveyard got destroyed first.

"WHAT?!" Yume shouted. _How did it happen?_ She thought. _I never thought something like that would happen! Our monsters were tied!_

"Do you know now," Weevil said, driving Yume out of her thoughts, "why I led you to this Forest area? Because this field is a replica of the surrounding environment: Part Wasteland and part Forest! And guess who's the leader of the Forest?"

Yume shook her head. "Bugs!" Weevil answered. "The strongest living things in the forest! As long as my bugs are played in the Forest area, I gain a Field Power Bonus! And if you focused on learning the new rules of the tournament," Weevil explained as his Killer Needle gains ATK Points to 1560, " _you_ would get the bonus instead of me!"

"CHEATER!" Joey yelled. "Yume's at a disadvantage because you led her here!"

"Call me one if you might!" Weevil said. "It doesn't matter because I knew the rules already! And now Yume's going to get stung!"

But Yume just laughed. "Why are you laughing?!" Weevil demanded. "Look at your Killer Needle now!" Weevil did, and he saw it getting destroyed to pieces.

"NO!" he shouted. "How could this be? Your Mammoth Graveyard is just as powerful?!"

"If you kept your mouth shut," Yume said, "you wouldn't realize that Mammoth Graveyard _also_ gets a Field Power Bonus on Wasteland area as well as your bugs from the Forest!"

"ARGH!" Weevil growled. "It was only supposed to be mine alone!"

"Which also reminds me," Yume asked, "why we are dueling in a remote island again? Because it all became clear with this holographic display grid showed up! You see, every monster has a type of field that makes it its home! And this island is special because it contains every single type of field known in Duel Monster's history.

"And to sum things up," Yume finished, "when you led us here, you were hoping for a field advantage!"

Weevil was at first angry because Yume figured out his plan in one turn, but then he started laughing. "You're very clever, Yume!" Weevil complemented. "But one rule is not enough! Everywhere is a surprise, even under a rock! And _I_ know them all!"

"You got this, Yume!" Téa cheered on.

"Don't let him confuse you!" Joey encouraged. "He's probably bluffing!"

"Let's see how well I'm bluffing!" He summoned a beetle on his side of the field. "My Hercules Beetle," he said, "will find a way to crawl under your skin!"

 _I don't have time now,_ Yume thought, _because now that I know about this, I can't change my deck! Maybe a card combo can help!_ "I play Feral Imp and equip him with the Horn of the Unicorn, adding Attack Points for him!"

"You need to play better than that to win _this_ duel, Yume! Hercules Beetle, ATTACK!" The beetle started releasing its attack on Yume's Feral Imp.

"Feral Imp," Yume commanded, "MAGIC LIGHTNING, ATTACK!" The attack from the horn hit the beetle, but the magic disappeared before total damage is done, and the Feral Imp is destroyed instead of both of them being destroyed.

"Yume's attack," Téa said worriedly, "didn't even hit it!"

"I smell a rat in this joint!" Joey said.

"The magic attack," Yume said with anger, "should've destroyed the beetle, Weevil! What's the meaning of this? It's a trick, I know it!"

"That's when you're wrong, Yume!" he countered. "All monsters with a Field Power Bonus are immune to any magical attacks! My Hercules Beetle was immune to your lightning attack, he had enough to destroy your Feral Imp, and wipe out some of your Life Points!" Yume was a bit surprised, but saw her Life Points go down to 1350.

"Even his weakest bugs," Joey said, "would be tough to beat with the Field Power Bonus!

"And now it's your turn, Yume!"

 _I think,_ she thought, _I better protect my life! In Defence Mode, the monster will be destroyed, but my Life Points spared!_

"I guess," Weevil said, "you're deciding to play a defensive strategy now? Because now I'll have a hard time beating it! But you're strongest monsters can't stand against a Basic Insect! Because not only does he get a Field Power Bonus, I'm also giving him a Level 3 Laser Cannon _and_ a Level 2 Power Boost upgrade!"

 _There is_ no _way,_ Yume thought, _my monster will stand a chance now! And that means my Life Points are next!_

"And now, Yume," Weevil announced, "prepare to witness that even a harmless insect can become the most powerful one ALIVE! Time for some PAYBACK!" His Basic Insect released heavy power on Yume's monster, which was destroyed as a result!

"ARGH" Yume grunted.

"You'll definitely," he said triumphantly, "have to be better than that to survive _this_ laser-powered arsenal!"

"And I'll," Yume countered, "place another monster in Defense position!"

"Nice try, Yume!" Weevil said. "Stay defensive, or _this_ trap card will be activated!" He placed it down.

"Now," Tristan said, "Yume's cornered and can't counterattack!"

"You'll never make it out, Yume!" Weevil said.

 _Weevil's bragging so much,_ she thought, _that he has no idea I'll be playing my own little trap!_ She placed down her _own_ trap, which is Mirror Force! _Payback time, Weevil! Just waiting to spring it on you._

"I've got you pinned, Yume!" Weevil said. "And since you can't attack me, I can attack _you_ whenever I want! Whenever you cower in fear, I get a new monster!"

So for the next few turns, Weevil generates new insect monsters on his field to devastate Yume. "I got you now, Yume!" Weevil finally said. "You'll never win now!"

 _Okay, Weevil,_ Yume thought, _My trap is just about ready to turn the tide of battle!_

"Time," Weevil said, "to lose this duel, Yume!"

"Let's just see what I draw first!" Yume drew her card and felt better. "Here we go! I defend with the Dark Magician!"

"You're second favorite card is my next target! My pet, charge up your laser cannon!"

His bug started charging up the cannon to attack the Dark Magician. "Now, ATTACK!" But Yume had other plans, and started to chuckle. "What's so funny, Yume?"

"You," Yume explained, "are not the only one to set a trap card, Weevil Underwood!"

"HUH?!"

"While you were busy powering up your bug army, you also forgot that I have a trap card just for that! Which, when I reveal it, turns into the Mirror Force Trap card!"

"Abort Launch!" Weevil said fearfully, but he was too late!

"Nice try, Weevil! But you're attack was already committed to attack my Dark Magician! Now say hello to a counter attack, wiping out your monsters on the field!" The blast was countered on Weevil's side, devastating his field of monsters.

"NO!" Weevil shouted. "M-My Life Points!" His Life Points drop down to 555! Yume's friends cheered her on for destroying the insects on Weevil's field!

 _My bug army!_ Weevil thought. _She destroyed it! No matter, I have a new plan to finish her off!_

"Nice try, Weevil!" Yume called out. "You may be a liar and a cheat, but overconfidence is your defeat in this duel! And since your Life Points are at a mere 555, and out of insects, I'll win this duel!"

Weevil just chuckled. "I also lied about _that_ as well!"

"HUH?!"

"I still have the most devastating monster waiting in the wings! And this one will finish you off once and for all! And you may have destroyed my army, Yume!" Weevil said. "But the duel isn't over yet! I still have more tricks to come!"

"Try as you might, Weevil!" Yume said. "But you're not ready, yet! _I'm_ still waiting for the stinger to take in full effect!"

" _But_ since you're still new on this tournament, I'll make this real simple! I'll destroy you, just you wait! The lucky bug that would like to be helpful, but _this_ little bug-" He pulled out a card, but didn't play it yet! "-isn't powerful enough against your monsters! But I guess I should play him in Defense Mode!" And he did so.

"Nice try, Weevil!" Yume called out. "Even though I could destroy it with any monster, I haven't forgotten about your Trap Card you played earlier!"

 _He won't trap me,_ she thought, _and he still won't! It'll be triggered as soon as I attack, and it might destroy all_ my _monsters! But what about if_ _I_ _remove them first and then destroy the Trap? It's worth a shot!_

"Time to get serious, Weevil, and I'll start by playing the Magic card Monster Recovery, which allows me to have all my monsters back from the field to my deck!" Her monsters have been removed and she took them back! "And since," she added, "your Trap has nothing, and my monsters returned to my deck, I can also draw a new hand! And then I have to sacrifice a weaker monster, and it's time for your trap!"

She laid down a monster. "Kuriboh, ATTACK!"

"Eh, WHAT?!" Weevil saw his Trap card go into effect, destroying the Kuriboh.

"Trap cards," Yume said as her Life Points drop by 300, "are best known to be caught by surprise! So make sure you don't mess up your plan next time!"

Weevil just snickered, then started laughing. "Because I didn't! I never even _care_ about a bee's behind about that silly Trap!"

"WHAT?!"

"I let you call back your monsters, so you couldn't attack _this_!" Weevil showed his monster!

 _It's only a larvae moth!_ Yume thought. _It's not much of a threat. What's he up to now?_

"Just because," Weevil snickered, "he's weak now, doesn't mean that the Cocoon of Evolution will change things up!"

"SERIOUSLY?!"

"Isn't this beautiful? The evolution change is taking effect on him!" His larvae started to change from weak insect, to a heavy shelled cocoon. "Behold the Cocoon of Evolution!" Weevil laughed. "And inside it, my larvae moth sits there! And during five turns, a transformation will happen to it! From harmless caterpillar to an unstoppable GREAT MOTH!"

"Then I better," Yume decided, "crack it before it's final!"

"Easier said than done, Yume! Because the Cocoon gets a field power bonus as well by boosting it's DEF Points! Raising it to 2600, making it _very_ hard to break open, you can't even scratch the surface! And you only get five turns before my Great Moth comes out and end this duel!"

 _If Weevil,_ Yume thought, _is true about what he said about his Great Moth, I better break that Cocoon of Evolution and fast! That thing will continue getting better as every second passing! But I better get rid of it and fast, because_ _I'm_ _not ready to face a Great Moth in this condition! I better find some way to get rid of it!_

Yume tried to concentrate, but her mind keeps getting to Weevil's Great Moth, when her coat pocket glowed due to the Puzzle. "Is this another trick you knew, Yume?" Weevil asked, noticing the glow.

"What?" She checked her pocket, and instantly her mind was transported.

~Shadow Realm~

She opened her eyes and knew where she was. _Shadow Realm again?!_ She thought. _What's the situation now?_

She looked around, and saw both Yugi and the Dark Magician Girl, her parents.

"Father!" she cried out. "Mother! What's happening _this_ time?"

She knows so far that either of them could bring her mind to the Shadow Realm at the utmost importance.

"Yume," Dark Magician Girl started, "you're losing your train of thoughts again! Something is on your mind while you try to concentrate. I hope it's nothing bad, right?"

"Actually…" Yume started telling of her duel with Weevil and how she lost Exodia, the Forbidden One, and her current situation.

"Maybe," Yugi suggested, "maybe you need to worry about the Great Moth a bit, but still believe in the heart of the cards! You can do this, Yume. Remember what's going to happen if you lose!"

"I get it now!" Yume said as another bright flash lighted up!

~Duelist Kingdom, Weevil VS. Yume~

She opened her eyes to see her duel with Weevil on her turn when she drew her card. She played down a powerful monster. "Gaia, The Fierce Knight!"

A knight with two spears showed up on a horse and started charging at the cocoon, but the cocoon was too powerful!

"That Field Power Bonus," Joey cried out, "is _way_ too strong for Gaia!"

"One turn down!" Weevil gloated. "Wanna try again?" And then he laughed, like it's some kind of joke.

 _That Cocoon of Evolution,_ Yume thought as her Life Points dropped to 750, _is going to be tough to crack! But with each failing attempt, my Life Points are going down!_

"Hang in there, Yume!" Her friends started cheering her on to crack the cocoon. "You still got time!"

"You hear that?" Weevil asked. "That's my larvae powering up with each wasted turn!"

 _I better,_ Yume thought, _be fast on this, I won't lose just this duel because my only chance to save Solomon Muto is gone as well! As well as my Father's. And I_ _can't_ _let it happen!_

Weevil drew his next turn. "Just four to go before my Great Moth shows up! And then you can stop worrying about destroying it, but worry about how _it's_ going to destroy _you_ , Yume!" He laughed again.

 _I better place defensive maneuver,_ she thought as she placed a monster in Defense, _in case I failed at it!_

"You are wasting your time, Yume! Nothing will save you when my Moth emerges!"

The next turn, Yume drew. _I better turn this duel around and fast!_ She thought. _Before that cocoon hatches! He thinks that nothing can beat it, but there is a way to pop it open! But what to do?_

"Come on, Yume!"

"Yeah, win this for Yugi's grandpa! Others believe in you!"

Yume looked at her friends. "I know!" She said, but she wasn't too certain.

"Then keep fighting, Yume!" Joey argued. "Don't let this creep get the better of you! Now, stop this nonsense of doubt and get fired up!"

 _FIRE?!_ She thought surprisingly. _That'll definitely work! And if it does, thank you, Joey!_ "Here we go, CURSE OF DRAGON! TAKE FLIGHT NOW!" A dragon showed up and screeched twice.

"And then I'll combine it with a Magic card and have it ATTACK WITH DRAGON FLAME!" The flames avoided the cocoon, but affected the field instead.

"What are you up to now?! You know that firefly is never powerful enough to destroy the cocoon!" But Yume just laughed. "Now what?" he demanded.

"Whoever said I was aiming for your cocoon, Weevil? No, I used the Burning Land Magic card on my Curse of Dragon to destroy your Forest all around your cocoon!"

"NO! But that means, no Field Power Bonus!"

"Precisely," Yume said. "Even though your cocoon was too tough to fight head on! But without the Bonus," she said as the Cocoon of Evolution lost DEF Points to 2000 again, "it's only a big target! Now one more time! Gaia, the Fierce Knight, ATTACK!"

The knight charged again, this time splattering it!

"Nice going, Yume!" "You popped it like a zit!" "You finished it off!" Her friends cheered on, but Weevil just chuckled.

"Is it over?" Téa asked.

"I think," Joey said uncertain, "we're going to find out!"

Everyone kept looking at the cocoon for anything that the Great Moth lived. But when an insect came out, everyone was shocked, except for Weevil smiling and Yume shocked the most, was a horrible surprise. The Great Moth lives!

"Maybe," Joey suggested, "the evolution was enough to survive the blast!"

Weevil chuckled. "I'm impressed," he said, "you were able to pierce it, Yume! But this time, you stopped the evolution too late of my ultimate insect! THE GREAT MOTH!"

"But," Yume countered, "it lasted only four turns! And you said five was needed!"

"So one turn early it was stopped!" he chuckled. "But he's still strong enough to beat you!"

 _I-I don't believe it!_ Yume thought. _Once again, this duel is in his favor, but surrendering is_ not _an option!_

"Well, now, Yume! Feeling outclassed yet? Or maybe you're enjoying your first Major-League dueling lost!" Weevil just kept laughing, like he won the whole pot.

"Well, now," Yume started. "You seem to have your prized monster out, Weevil. But I can still find a way to squash it!"

"You'll still pay," he countered, "for a stinging jab with your Life Points!"

"DUEL!"

"Great Moth, TAKE FLIGHT!"

His Great Moth spread its wings and flew upwards, matching heights with Yume's Curse of Dragon! "So, now in the air, huh?"

 _And since,_ Weevil thought, _her dragon is no match for my moth,_ and _her land monsters can't attack my moth while it's flying! But what should I strike first on Yume's monsters?_

"I'll start my attack on your knight for demolishing my cocoon!"

 _NO!_ Yume thought quickly. _I can't lose him for my strategy! I have to think fast._

"It's time to crush your defenses with my Great Moth, destroy the knight, and blast your dragon from the sky!"

"That's enough Weevil! And I'm stopping it right now!" She played Polymerization before Weevil attacked.

"You can do nothing against it! Great Moth, HURRICANE ATTACK!" His moth brought a hurricane, which destroyed her Beaver Warrior, but sadly for him, he was in Defense Mode, so her Life Points were saved!

"Nothing at all," Weevil said, "can survive against the Gale-Force winds of my Moth Hurricane! So say goodbye to your knight!"

The ground field was covered by the hurricane. "That'll be a lesson to learn involving my cocoon!"

"Nice try, Weevil, but don't count on it!"

"Huh?"

"You were busy fawning over your moth, you didn't notice that I played the Magic card Polymerization!"

"Wait, WHAT?!"

"If I," Yume explained, "have two compatible monsters on the field, I can use Polymerization and fuse them to make an ultimate creature!"

"I'm not a beginner, Yume! And I know what Fusion does!"

"Then," she added, "you'll also know it'll increase the ATK Points of my monster! So, met Gaia, The Dragon Champion!" Gaia was on top of Curse of Dragons due to Polymerization. "And now," she added, "it's tied Point-for-Point with your Great Moth!"

But Weevil just laughed at that. "I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, Yume!"

"Huh?! NO!" She looked to see her monster constantly losing ATK Points. (100 per second.) "My knight's losing Attack Points and fast! But why?!"

"It's simple, Yume!" Weevil explained. "POISON! The particles from my Great Moth. Because after every attack from it, it releases tons of tiny poison particles from its body. And your Dragon/Knight combo is being poisoned! HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

 _I,_ she thought, _have to protect it from the poison, but how? HOW? It's like there's no other way! Unless…_ She drew her card, then smiled.

"Get ready, Weevil!" She said. "Because I play the Magic card Makiu, the Magical Mist!" the whole field was getting rained on, including both monsters.

"MY POISON! Your washing it away!"

"Correct because Magical Mist washes the field CLEAN!"

"No fair! I was going to win so how does a little drizzle save you, Yume?"

 _Of course,_ she thought, _I_ did _save my knight, but there's a catch that Weevil will be surprised by!_

"Okay, then!" Weevil said in frustration. "You may have stopped the Poison, but I promise you only have a brief reprieve! Because now, there's nothing you can think of to get you out of here! So get ready for my insect's Ultimate Attack! Great Moth, TORNADO OF DOOM!" The moth charged up, and released its power on Gaia, destroying it!

"One direct attack," Weevil said, "served up defeat-style! The rainstorm hasn't helped you, Yume! And now your knight is gone. And your Life Points," Weevil said while Yume's at 50, "are almost completely wiped out from existence!"

"Come on, Yume!" Joey encouraged. "You have a plan, so finish it!"

While Mai, Joey, Téa, and Tristan were arguing whether Yume has this or not, she kept grinning the whole time until they all noticed, even Weevil noticed her laughing hard.

"Wait a minute," Weevil said, confused. "What's so funny now, Yume? Stop it at once!"

"You'll take this very difficult on this Weevil. For a lost that is…"

"Especially," she added, "after spending so much time finding new ways to cheat! But if bending the rules would help you, you're wrong."

"I don't believe you because this is a trick!"

"You play dishonest, so you'd expect the same from your opponents! But I duel with honor, and that's the real difference."

"Nothing is what you have! So just give up!"

"No, but I do have SUMMONED SKULL!" A bone creature with dragon-like wings showed up. "And now, your Great Moth will _never_ survive this attack!"

 _Is this,_ Weevil thought, _finally the moment when Yume lost her mind. Her Summoned Skull is strong, but not strong enough against my Great Moth! When she attacks with him, she'll definitely lose this duel!_

"Another thing, Weevil!" Yume added, catching him by surprise. "My Mystical Mist still has the field drenched!"

"No way!" Weevil gasped. "The whole field is still wet! So that means…" He looked at his Great Moth, finally noticing that it was soaked. "…my moth is completely soaked!"

"And my Skull," she added once again, "attacks with electricity! Making your Great Moth one, giant-sized LIGHTNING ROD! And I hope your ready for this, Weevil, because today's special involves FRIED INSECTS, because the water boosted the ATK Points of my Summoned Skull by an overwhelming 1000. Summoned Skull, LIGHTNING STRIKE!"

Her monster charged up, with 3500 ATK Points, and released lots of electricity on Weevil's Great Moth, finishing it off! "And now," she said slowly, "I've won this duel!"

"Impossible! My Great Moth should have been unbeatable! NO!" Weevil's Life Points hit zero when showed one last time!

When Yume looked at her friends, they cheered her on for taking out his Great Moth! After a few minutes, Yume gathered her star chips that Weevil bet on while Joey took his dueling glove!

"Three so far!" she said triumphantly. "Only seven to go before Pegasus time!"


	3. Joey's First Duel

Lethalty60: Thank you everyone for reading this story! As you know…

?: As well as everything, there's one person who was able to defeat me and-

Lethalty60: Can you NOT spoil the story on everyone?!

?: Sorry! Just bringing in the mood.

Lethalty60: Accepted with a disclaimer from you!

?: Lethalty60 owns nothing but his own character, Yume! Anything else belongs to Konami and the creators behind the anime/menga, Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

Yume and Joey were checking to see which duelist they could take on next.

"Listen, Yume," Joey said, "I should find a duelist myself to beat. I can't take your star chips or I'll never figure out if my training with Yugi's grandpa works or not for the second time!"

"Calm down, Joey," Yume reassured. "I'm sure there may be someone to duel."

"I hope so, Yume," he agreed. "For Serenity, too!"

"Oh!" Yume exclaimed. "She's your younger sister, right?"

"Yeah!"

"You really need that money again, huh?"

"But for different reasons. Serenity has high loans she needs to pay off. And if she doesn't come up with 3 million dollars next month, their taking her stuff away, and even _that's_ not enough! So it all counts on my first duel on whether I win or lose!"

Just then, another woman was speaking away. "Those star chips are mine because I won!"

"MAI!" Téa said with gritted teeth. "Joey, you should take her on!"

"Hang on, Téa!" Yume warned. "Sometimes instincts aren't the way to go. We should see what's up first."

"Not even fair!" Mai's opponent said as she placed her new star chips in. "You had to be cheating somehow! How could you know your cards without looking at them _and_ they were face down?!"

Mai turned to him. "I'm psychic. And you're finished." She continued laughed victoriously while her opponent cried. But when she saw Yume and Joey, she immediately stopped.

"Well, now," she said, "look who's here!"

"Mai," Joey exclaimed, "already has two more star chips already!"

"Well, Yume!" Mai said to her. "How's your duels going?"

"I did got some progress done?"

Mai looked at her star chips. "So, now you have three star chips?" Téa eyed Mai. "I should be prepared against you for a duel." Téa whispered to Yume that she should duel her now and knock her out.

"I'm about ready for a duel," Mai announced. "But I choose to challenge you, Joey!" And she pointed at him after making her decision.

"Wait, what?! ME?!"

"Do you accept with guts?"

"Well, guess you heard about _my_ skill."

"Don't push yourself too hard, Joey. I overheard that Yume gave one of her star chips to you! And I say, 'Take out the weakest first!' And you also won't be here if it weren't for Yume!"

"This is my only chance, Yume!" Joey concluded. "To show everybody, and that Gramps trained me, too! Yeah, even though my training isn't finished yet, I can still take her!" He then looked at Mai. "Get ready, Mai, because I accept your offer to duel!"

 _Mai vs. Joey!_ Yume thought. _I never thought anything like_ this _would happen. I just hope that my great-grandpa trained him well._

Mai and Joey were ready to duel at 2000 Life Points each. "Go for it, Joey!" "Kick her butt!" his friends cheered him on.

Yume looked at Joey and whispered to herself, "Joey will win. I _know_ it!"

"And since," Mai said, "you only have one star chip, that's how much I'm putting at risk!"

 _And with a Field Power Bonus on Meadow,_ Joey thought, _I can easily defeat Mai, no matter what her tricks are!_ But when he looked, he saw something different. "Hey wait a minute!" he exclaimed. "How come my field's in Mountains?!"

"Simple," Mai answered. "This region is 40% Forest, 40% Mountain, and 20% Meadow! Suck it up or forfeit."

"Careful, Joey!" Yume reassured. "Just calm down! You can still beat her because you'll still get the Meadow Field Power Bonus."

"Oh yeah," Joey said, "before we begin, Mai! Why did you take part of this tournament in the first place? But why _do_ you duel?"

"Why? For every comforts I crave about: Designer clothes, travel, perks- anything to avoid real work! Hot cars turbo-charged for livin' large."

"And that's why you want the prize money? _Very_ selfish!"

"How dare," Mai angered, "you try and judge me! Who are you, you pathetic little snot?"

"Listen," Joey confessed, "you're dueling for certain things. And some people duel for people that we love!"

"You got that right, Joey!" Yume agreed. "Show her what you can do by dueling from the heart!"

"DUEL!" Mai and Joey said together.

"I'll start," Joey started, "by playing Masaki, the Legendary Swordsman!" A samurai showed up. "And the Field Power Bonus adds an over 300 Point bonus." (ATK/DEF Points: 1430/1430.) "And now, it's your turn!"

He also noticed that Mai is acting different than a regular duelist. "Hey, what are you doing?" His friends noticed it, to.

"Divining my card," she replied. "I'm mystically choosing which is the best."

"WHAT? You psychic or something?"

"And that card is…" She selected it at random, "…The HARPY'S LADY!" A female half-griffin showed up. "And the Mountain field," she added, "gives _her_ a Field Power Boost, too!" (ATK/DEF Points: 1690/1820.)

"We'll just see about that! Masaki, ATTACK!"

His samurai started charging at Mai's Harpie Lady, but Yume saw something different. "Joey, NO!" she cried out. "Land's at a disadvantage to fliers!" The attack by Masaki missed as Harpy's Lady flew to safety.

"Monsters that can fly," Yume explained, "have a resistance _and_ advantage against monsters that can only walk on Earth!"

"So Joey already blew it?" Téa asked.

"No," Yume explained further, "it's just that Joey attacked too soon before realizing what Mai's monster is capable of. If he saw the wings, he would have known what to do instead of a down right attack!" The Harpy's Lady screeched and attacked the samurai, turning the duel around.

"Oh no, Masaki!" Joey said. "My samurai is sushi now!" His Life Points drop down to 1410 as Mai's are unhindered at 2000.

As Mai was ready for her next card and slide it in the field, saying that she hasn't looked that card either.

"Wait! How _does_ she do it?"

"Joey, no!" Téa exclaimed. "He's starting to lose it!"

"Maybe," Tristan reconsidered, "he wasn't ready for this kind of duel."

"Joey!" Yume called out. He looked at her. "Think what you're doing before you move again so the same mistake doesn't happen twice!"

 _What's going on?_ Joey thought. _How come she can read her cards without even looking at them?_ _I don't even know how to figure it out?_ "I'll play," he said, "TIGER AXE, with the Field Power Bonus! And now the Points are tied for en even match!" (ATK/DEF Points: 1690/1430.)

"Joey, WAIT!" Yume cried out. "Your axe monster is still at a disadvantage!"

Mai's Harpy's Lady attacked as Joey's Life Points went down to 1020! "Nice try, Wheeler. But you'll have to do better than that to take out my Harpy's Lady. And I'll just leave _this_ unknown card face down with a hint: It'll be equipped to destroy your next monster!"

"What's with all the psychic stuff?" _Can my cards,_ he thought, _really be seen by her? Since she's tough to get, I better play defensive!_

"Now your defenses are up? Because the equipment Magic card is Cyber Shield for improving my Harpie Lady." Her monster got equipped with Cyber Shield, having to be an improved one with ATK/DEF Points of 2190/2320 and attacked Joey's face down, destroying it!

"Is it even possible?!"

But Mai's laughing, like it was an old thing far from the past. "So much fun! Oh," she added seriously, "and in case you're wondering, the next card you'll play will _never_ work either!"

"ESP," Joey said to himself. "That has to be it. ESP! I'll lose this duel _and_ my one and only chance to save Serenity!"

Mai just laughs. "This duel," she said happily, "is _mine_. You can't win against me."

"She's right," Joey confessed quietly. "It's too much."

"Joey!" Yume called out. "Remember what Mr. Muto taught you, right? About how to play Duel Monsters?"

"Don't give in!" Téa shouted. "She's trying to psych you out."

Mai noticed that his friends are trying to give him encouragement. "STAY OUT OF THIS! Your brainless cheer leading isn't going to help him beat my Harpie Lady's power! Haven't you learned yet? Friendship _never_ works out in a duel. Hasn't helped him yet! He's defeated, he can't anything at all and he knows it. And there can only be one champion. And at some point in this game, someone can become your best friend today and then your worst enemy tomorrow. And once the competition forces a duel against your friend, where is that friendship then? And the only person to trust by a duelist is himself!

"I hope," she finished, "this defeat will be a lesson, kid."

Joey is close to losing his anger on Mai.

"Yume," Téa said worriedly, "there's gotta be a way to help him!"

"I," she said, "I don't know yet!" That's when her coat pocket glowed again. "Huh?" She checked, and a bright flash came over her, forcing her eyes shut again! But when she opened her eyes, she noticed that she's a little taller than before. Tristan and Téa were surprised to see that happen to her. But she changed from Yume to Yami Yume!

She turned to Joey. "Don't," She said, but her voice is more mature, "listen to her, Joey. We're here to help you just like you're always there for _us_."

Joey looked at her and noticed that she looks different. "Wha-"

"Trust me," she said. "She's trying to divide and conquer, an old strategy that's been used for centuries. Believe me, I've known it because I've seen it happen myself."

Joey realized something in her. "Whenever you have that eye look, I have a tendency to believe everything you say."

Mai thought a bit, then laughed. "Does your friend Yume really wants you to be the grand prize winner? She's also a duelist, so you'll have to duel her soon enough to win."

"She's right, Yume. We _do_ have to face each other soon, but-" Joey reviewed that moment when Yume told him about Solomon being captured by Pegasus. "We are a team, but this is for my sister, Serenity!"

Another moment went by when he received a tape from his sister, counting on him. "Maybe Yume's right about this. If I ignore Mai's nonsense, I could use my head better!" He closed his eyes. "I have to concentrate on winning this duel!"

 _There has to be a way to beat Mai,_ he thought. _If I can figure out how she uses her cards, I'm sure I can beat that if she's not psychic, there must be another-_ He stopped mid thought because he smelt something that's hard to miss. _Wait,_ he thought further. _What's that smell? I never noticed_ that _with my eyes open. I smell so many scented perfumes, that it's coming from…_ He suddenly opened his eyes!

"Take your turn, Wheeler," Mai said, forcing Joey out of his thoughts. "Or you forfeit the match!"

"I already know your card trick, Mai!"

"Huh?"

"You sprayed," he explained, "all your cards with different perfume scents, and with each different perfume scent, you can tell what your card is without even looking!"

"WHAT?!"

"In other words," he finished, "you can duel using just your nose, so you can psych the other player out!"

"Impossible!" She shouted. "How could an amateur like you see through my aroma strategy?!"

"I have to confess, Mai, you really psyched me out there for some time that I couldn't think straight about it. But that was _NO_ psychic powers after all! Just a big FAKER!"

"Great job, Joey!" "You got this!" "You the man!" his friends continue cheering him on for discovering Mai's strategy.

"Thanks, Yume!" Joey complemented her. "If it wasn't for you, I'd have lost my mind."

"ARGH!" Mai countered. "Just because you saw through my little psychic act doesn't mean you'll be able to defeat me in this duel!"

"That's just wrong! The only reason before I knew when you were winning is by confusing me and get me to go against my friends! But now I'll have a clear mind from now on! And who to trust is with my close friends, and your cheap tricks will never work on me now. And now I'll blast your Harpie Lady out of the sky with Baby Dragon!" His little guy showed up and let a short giggle.

"You got this, Joey!" Yume cheered on.

"THAT'S IT?!" Mai said surprised. "And I thought it would be a lot better so when devastation strikes you, more Life Points is gone on you! And my card is ELEGANT EGOTIST! And what it does is that I'll have more Harpie Ladies to have!" Her one Harpie Lady had split into three different ones, each with the same equipment and ATK/DEF Points each.

"NO!" Joey exclaimed. "That's three times the trouble!"

"He barely struggles," Téa said with concern, "with only one, and now he has to deal with _three_?"

"Don't give up, Joey!" Tristan reassured. "You still have some tricks left over."

"What does he have?"

"I don't know. Ask Yume!"

Tristan and Téa looked at Yami. "It's Joey's duel," she said, "so _he_ has to figure it out."

"How," he asked himself, "can I beat one Harpie's Lady if I don't have a strong enough monster to beat them?"

"Of course," she said, "I could use Elegant Egotist over and over again, doubling them each turn! But I can't attack after using it, so it's your turn. But you'll be up against an army of them real soon!"

"How can I fight such an army full of Harpy Ladies?!"

"Joey," Yami called, "don't give up!" Joey heard her and looked. "Think about her strategy if she only uses one monster card and strengthening it with lots of Magic cards. And there's one flaw that could help you win this duel!"

"Lots of Magic on one card, huh?" Joey asked himself, then realized it. "It's true! She's been only juicing up her Harpy Ladies ever since she played it. And if Magic cards are the most of it, then maybe her Harpy Ladies is the only monster she has. And I bet if I destroy it all, you won't be able to continue this duel, Mai!"

"Great!" she agreed. "Now think about what to do next to get rid of them if their so powerful? I can only think of one card in that entire deck, but you have to figure out the name of it."

"But," Joey confessed, "which one is it, Yume? Huh?!" _Maybe it's…_ he thought.

~FLASHBACK~

 _Joey showed Yume some recent cards he traded on the boat to Duelist Kingdom._

 _"Salamandra," she said, "and a Kunai with Chain. A Baby Dragon and Shield and Sword! With these new Magic cards, combined with your monsters, you'll be able to have a really strong deck."_

 _"Nice!" Joey said._

 _"Oh, yeah! Here!" She handed him a card. "Add_ this _to your deck. It'll help you in a very tight spot!"_

~Duelist Kingdom, Mai VS Joey~

"Time Wizard!" Joey said. "This must be a tight spot that Yume talked about. Now if I remember what Gramps taught me about Magic card usage. _And_ my only chance. But do I have it?"

"If I'd known," Mai said thoughtfully, "how long it was going to take you, I'd have bring a magazine."

"Oh no! No Time Wizard! I'll have to draw now." _But,_ he thought, _what happens if I don't draw the card? What if I-_

 _Trust your card, Joey!_ Yami thought. _And trust yourself into believing you can do it!_

"Here goes nothing!" Joey said and drew his card, believing in himself. When he looked at it, he got focused in full effect. "All right! It's time for TIME WIZARD to make a move!" A big clock with a clock staff shoed up on Joey's side.

'Wait!" Mai said in confusion. "What good will a Time Wizard do for you?"

"You never heard of him?" Mai shook her head. "Time Wizard could speed up time, causing my Baby Dragon to grow into a Thousand Dragon!"

"Of course," Yami agreed. "And that's not the only effect Time Wizard has."

"TIME MAGIC!" The Time Wizard said as it raised its staff to control time.

"Baby Dragon," Joey said, "is now a Thousand Dragon." Where the Baby Dragon is was replaced by a dragon that looks a thousand years older than it was, with ATK/DEF Points of 2400/2000.

"So you have a bigger dragon. Not enough because my Harpyy Ladies will dispose of it for good because their much tougher than _that_ old dragon! Now ATTACK, my Harpy Sisters!" But when she saw them, they look way too old to battle. "WHAT?!" she said surprised. "What happened to them? They got… _so_ old." All of the Harpy Lady's ATK Points drop down to 100 each.

"I warned you, Mai!" Yami explained. "A millennium has passed on the playing field, and your Harpy Ladies have gotten old and decrepit. And time's up for your Harpy Ladies!"

"All I did," Joey confessed, "was believe in the heart of the cards, and that's my reward. Nice! GO, Thousand Dragon!"

His dragon started getting ready to attack the Harpy Ladies! "Attack," Joey commanded, "with INFERNO FLAME BREATH!" The dragon took aim, and shot all three Harpy Ladies from its snout, destroying them all. And Mai's Life Points are reduced to nothing!

"Joey won!" "I knew he could do it!" His friends cheered him on for his victory.

"Thanks guys!" Joey thanked. "I couldn't have done it without you. Especially Yume!"

Yami gave him a thumbs-up and a nod, when her coat pocket flashed again and she was reverted to her smaller self, becoming Yume again. Mai is worked up on her defeat by Joey, who she thought was an amateur to begin with.

"How?" she asked herself. "How could I lose to an amateur?"

"Mai."

"Huh?"

"I told ya," Joey explained, "that there's more to Duel Monsters than just winning. And if you want to be a real champion, you have to learn to care about someone other than yourself. Isn't that right, Yume?"

"Right!" Yume agreed, sound like a child again. _Nice job, Joey,_ she thought, _I'm very proud of you! All that hard work and training with my great-grandpa finally paid off. You went from someone with nothing but eagerness and attitude, to a winning duelist who battles with his head. And, his heart!_


	4. Sea Legend Versus All Time Legend

Lethalty60: Thank you guys for everything! Seeing you guys read this gives me motivation to continue this! And furthermore-

Yume: Can't we just continue this already?

Lethalty60: For being the daughter of the legendary duelist, you sure are an impatient one.

Yami: (Changed form the Puzzle.) Then we shall settle this! DUEL!

Lethalty60: Crud! (Quickly) Anyway, I own nothing except my character! Good day! (Quickly runs off, only to be chased by Yami.)

* * *

Joey was looking at his dueling glove, his progress getting into entering Pegasus' castle improved by one star chip.

"Two star chips," Joey said happily. "Eight more to go!"

"How long does he have to go on like this?" Téa complained.

"Come on, Téa," Tristan told her. "That was Joey's first duel! DId you see how he beated Mai?"

"I had faith in him!" Yume said. "And I'm proud of his victory!"

Joey apparently heard her. "Thanks, Yume!" And then his stomach growled. "I guess I should eat since that duel made me hungry! You guys brought something to eat?"

"Sorry, Joey!" Téa, Tristan and Yume said together.

"This is just great!" Joey complained. "How are we going to duel with nothing to eat?"

"Good question, Joey," Yume said. "This dueling takes it out of you, and I haven't seen anything that has food since we got here."

"Wait!" Joey sniffed. "I smell something that's good, and it's coming from _that way_." He pointed somewhere. "See ya!" And he started running towards the smell.

"There he goes, hallucinating again!"

"Well, don't be so sure, Téa," Tristan said. "It's not his brain that beated Mai's strategy. His nose did the thing to win it."

When they all got to where Joey smelt food, they saw fish being cooked over a fire pit made by a professional camper. "Wow!" Joey said hungrily. "The one thing I love more is barbecued fish!"

"It sure does smell good," Yume said.

"And I bet," Joey said as he went for the fish, "it tastes even better!"

Soon, after some consideration, Joey and Tristan were eating fish, when another man showed up, wet from being in the water, and seeing them eating up the fish. "Ready," Tristan and Joey said together, "set, EATING FRENZY!"

"Enjoy those fish, you fish thieves!" he said. "Because that will be your last meal!" Apparently, the whole gang heard and saw him. "How dare," he said, "you eat my fish, you thieving poachers? Did anyone taught you manners?" That was all he said before the tide caught him.

"So, can we eat now?" Joey asked confused.

Fortunately, he climbed back up. "Stealing a fisherman's catch proves you have no honor!" But Yume noticed that he has a dueling glove on.

"WAIT!" Yume said surprisingly. "Are you Mako Tsunami, the top-ranked Ocean Duelist?"

He looked at her and noticed something in her voice. "Duelist extraordinaire of the 7 seas!" He said triumphantly.

"Huh?" Téa saw something else and began laughing, like it was a joke.

"What's so funny?" Mako said unsure whether it was his title or something else.

"Your head." Mako noticed that a squid is on his head. "Looks like you've got company!" He pulled it off and tossed it to the sea, leaving Joey and Tristan depressed about lost meat!

Then he turned to Yume. "And who are _you_?"

"I'm Yume Orskov!" she said. "Sorry about your fish, though."

"HUH?! Yume Orskov? The _second_ duelist to ever defeat Seto Kaiba in a duel?!" Yume nodded. "Well, what a fine surprise! I would gladly have an honor of facing you in a duel!"

"That goes double, Mako!" Yume agreed. "I've always wanted to know how you fight! My Father talked about you a lot, actually!" Then she realized what she said and quickly covered her mouth with her hands with a quick gasp, but no one paid attention!

"I must apologize," Mako said to Joey and Tristan. "I've been ungraceful. If you _are_ friends with Yume Orskov, please enjoy the fish I caught!"

"Great!" They said together, sat down, and ate the fish, complementing on Mako's cooking.

"Really good, huh, Yume?"

"Right!" Yume agreed.

Soon, everyone had their fill, and Joey let out a burp. "Wow! That was really good!"

"How'd," Téa asked Mako, "you learn to cook like that?"

"I fended for myself," Mako laughed, "since I was a tadpole. But my father taught me how to fish and cook!"

"Well, now," Yume said in awe. "So what brings you here, Mako?"

"I was raised on a fishing boat and learned to love the sea. And if I win, I'd like a vessel of my own! But I'll have to win some duels first, though." He laughed again. "I have shared," he added, "a special bond with the ocean since I was born. I can tell the ocean's feelings by its surface! Like the way it sparkles when it is happy. Or the raging waves when it is upset."

"That's really amazing, Mako!" Téa said. "I wish I could live sometime in the ocean!"

"Yeah!" Joey agreed. "You're also a great cook. Without you, we'd be starving." He got up, as his other friends did, to.

"Leaving already?"

"Actually," Yume suggested, "how about we duel now, Mako? After all, I do owe you for the fish!"

"I would most certainly be honored, Yume!" Mako agreed.

"Now, let us duel, Mako! Just remember I won't hold back!" Yume's coat pocket began glowing again. "What?" she checked, and the same thing happened. She opened her eyes, to be Yami again!

"Let's do this, Mako!" Yami said.

"Great!" Mako said as a dueling platform showed up behind him. "We shall duel by the majestic sea!"

Yami and Mako, the Ocean duelist champ, both got ready for their duel, but Mako decided to help her with one last bit of info.

"The dueling field," he added, "is equally split in two halves: Half Land, and half Sea."

"And the wager?"

"Two star chips!"

"Two, sounds reasonable enough!" They put their star chips down, and began the duel!

"Try to defeat," Mako started, "my mighty denizens of the deep!" Mako summoned it, but it didn't show up on the field.

"What's going on?" Yami said. "Is your creature underwater? How can I counteract it without knowing what it is?"

"The ocean," Mako explained, "can conceal many hidden things beneath its shifting surface."

Yami growled. "If it stays submerged, I'll never be able to attack."

"I promise," Mako said, "that he won't stay under for very long, Yume."

 _I,_ she thought, _have no idea what I'm up against! I better set up a strong Defensive Maneuver!_

Mako snickered, but Yume didn't hear him. _Clearly,_ he thought, _it's her first time battling sea-based Duel Monsters. She will learn how the sea can a great and powerful ally! My creatures gain a Field Power Bonus, and conceals them for more lethality on striking by surprise._ Mako chuckled. "This," he explained, "is what it feels like to take on an ocean-based strategy, Yume."

 _He did surprise me,_ she thought. _But my defenses will be tough to crack!_ "I play the HORN IMP!" An imp with a horn showed up on Yume's side.

"Now, Fiend Kraken, ENSNARE HIM!" Tentacles raised from the sea and grabbed the Horn Imp.

 _NO!_ Yami thought. _My Imp!_ "ATTACK! NOW!"

"What _is_ that?" Téa asked with worry.

"Whatever it is," Joey said, "it's bad news for Yume! _And_ her Imp is done for."

"Fiend Kraken," Mako commanded, "END THIS NOW!" The Fiend Kraken tightened its grip on the Horn Imp, destroying it.

"Well done, Kraken." Mako said as the tentacles returned beneath the seas.

Yami growled. "I don't believe this," Téa said. "And that was Mako's opening move."

"Nice move, Mako!" Yami complemented. "And for an opening move, too!"

"I'm pleased," he said, "that you appreciated it, but I doubt your Imp did!" Her Life Points dropped to 1740.

"Of course," Yami said, "I know what I'm up against, now."

"Of course, because the mighty ocean sea commands all respect, _and_ to the creatures that inhabit it, to!"

 _I should probably,_ Yami thought, _put up a very strong attack to destroy it! Even if I can't see them._ "Feral Imp!" An imp showed up. _This Feral Imp_ _should dispense those monsters, no matter how deep they hide in the sea._

"I'm," Mako said, "very familiar with your imp and its electrical attack. So the next card I'm playing is my Giant Jellyfish!" And he played it in Defence Mode.

Yami heard a screech coming from under water. "I," she said, "don't like the sound of that!"

"That," Mako explained, "is the sea monster's battle cry!"

"It'll cry, all right!" Yume said. "Once I combine my Imp with the magical Horn of the Unicorn!" The Feral Imp has an electric charge around it. When the charge dispersed, a horn is on its forehead.

"She got this!" Joey said.

"Huh?"

Joey turned to Téa. "Even though," he explained, "Yume can't see Mako's monsters, but she knows they're all underwater, which conducts electricity."

"Of course!"

"MAGIC LIGHTNING ATTACK!" Yami ordered. The imp released an electric attack from the horn, but the magic dispersed. "WHAT?" Yami said in surprise. "How come you still have all of your Life Points, Mako?"

"Your strategy," Mako laughed, "failed."

"What?"

"You see, Yume, I'm well aware of vulnerability to lightning attacks as a sea duelist. Because _that's_ why I played my Giant Jellyfish, he has the ability to absorb _every_ electrical attacks, while protecting other monsters."

Yami growled. "And now," Mako added, "time for a counter attack! Fiend Kraken," he commanded, "CRUSH HER FERAL IMP!" The same tentacles showed up over the water, and snared the Feral Imp and raised it high in the air. "CRUSH HIM!" The tentacles squeezed the imp, destroying it. Yami growled while Mako laughed.

"Did you enjoy," he said, "my kraken's embrace?" Mako laughed some more while her Life Points dropped to 1480.

 _I,_ Yume thought, _have never dueled against creatures like these before. It's like_ I'm _battling Mako's monsters,_ _and_ _the ocean power itself!_

"Does _any_ card," Mako asked, "have the power to defeat my ocean pets?"

"I," Yami said, "have the power of Silver Fang combined with the magic of the Full Moon for double ferocity!" A wolf showed up with the full moon way above the field as the wolf howls at it, with doubled ATK Points.

But Mako just laughed. "Ferocious indeed," he complimented. "But the moon also controls tides, causing them to rise. And allowing me to play my most devastating creature! Come, my mighty Kairyu Shin!"

A big wave took place where Mako summoned his monster. "What _is_ this?" Yami asked. Her question was answered when a giant sea serpent showed itself from beneath the depths!

"That," he explained, "is known as the colossal Kairyu Shin. One _so_ enormous that, when risen from the ocean depths, he creates tidal waves of his _own_!

"Your wolf is brave, Yume, but he's no match for my Kairyu Shin to do TIDAL ATTACK!" The whole field was being surged by the tidal waves created by Kairyu Shin, wiping away Silver Fang.

"Silver Fang, NO!"

"Even though," Mako explained further, "your Silver Fang is gone, but the tidal attack did more than just wash away your wolf cub away."

"Huh?"

"It considerably alters the playing field!"

"What?" She checked the field, only to see a small piece of land big enough for one monster. "NO! Kairyu Shin nearly washed away my _entire_ land-based playing field!"

Mako laughed. "Consider it," he said, "luck, Yume. Because whoever faced Kairyu Shin in _all_ my other duels, _nothing_ can stand between him and my win.

"I also think it was quite considerate of my pet to leave you a little patch of dirt, right? _Or_ ," Mako considered, "does it make you feel uneasy to be surrounded by the sea? Everyone, and I mean _everyone_ , give pause before the savage power of the mighty ocean, even the greater of fisherman."

"You mean your father, right?"

"He was a great fisherman and taught me the love of the sea. But the sea, one day, took _him_! When the storm finally died, our little boat had washed ashore. But my Father was right about a storm once, and made sure I was perfectly safe. But since he had to tie me down, he didn't have time himself to secure himself in the mast!

"And I thought he was gone forever, and then I noticed that the lifeboat was missing! And I _know_ he's still alive. So I'm in on this contest to buy a boat, and search the seven seas just to find him! And _that_ , is why I duel, Yume! And that is also why I should win and you must lose."

~Shadow Realm~

Dark Magician Girl suddenly woke up again, disturbing Yugi again in his sleep.

Dark Magician Girl looked at Yugi, and noticed that she woke him up again. "Sorry, Yugi!" she apologized. "But something's going on with Yume, our child."

"What's happening?"

"Her duel is tougher than I thought. You know who's dueling her now?" Yugi took some thought, then shrugged his shoulders. " _This_ ," Dark Magician Girl explained, "is her second duel at Duelist Kingdom!"

"Mako Tsunami?"

"Hm-mm!" she nodded. "But it seems she's at a losing battle. He already summoned his greatest monster!"

"KAIRYU SHIN!" Yugi exclaimed. "Yume can't give up!"

"Of course she can't." Yugi and Dark Magician Girl looked around and noticed the Pharaoh nearby.

"Yugi," he said, "do you have something to say to her?"

"What _does_ he mean, Yugi?"

Yugi brought up his courage, and told Dark Magician Girl how much he loved her!

~Duelist Kingdom, Mako VS Yami~

"I understand, Mako," she said, "and believe me. But I can't just throw this duel, either." Mako and Yume are both being brought up with this while Téa, Joey, and Tristan were surprised that both duelists are dueling for someone they love dearly.

 _With barely enough land for one monster,_ Yume thought, _I_ really _have to make this count. I have to turn the tide somehow…_

… _Tide! That's it!_ "Giant Soldier of Stone!" Yume played her card, and a giant human made of stone showed up, obviously in Defence Mode. "Even though," she explained, "my battlefield has shrunk to island size, he still gets a Field Power Bonus!" She said that as her rock soldier's ATK/DEF points increase.

"But that one," Mako countered, "can barely fit on that little rock, let alone _survive_ against my furious sea monster onslaught. Not to mention surrounded by all sides of the sea. And easy prey for my Great White Terror!" A great shark was summoned, coming out of the water before coming back down under. "And _he_ ," Mako added, "will lead my other creatures in one, big ocean onslaught!"

"And not only that," Joey added to Téa and Tristan, "he's about to become fish food by being outnumbered 3 to 1!"

"Time to end this Yume!" Mako said triumphantly. "You'll lose, but it has been an honor dueling."

"And _you_ ," Yami added, "have been a fair and noble opponent, Mako. But even _I_ duel with a loved one at stake." Mako got wide eyed. "And that's why I can't lose either! And my Stone Soldier is switched to Attack Mode!" And her soldier got up from being in defence.

"Attack? Why? It doesn't stand a chance against my other monsters. Not only that, they're all underwater."

"Here's the catch."

"Huh?"

"Your monsters aren't his target. No, his target is the Full Moon, a card _I_ placed myself! And now, Stone Soldier! DESTROY THAT MOON!" The soldier slowly pulled out its sword, and prepared to strike, sword arm pulling back, and one arm reaching for it. And when he struck the moon, it had many cracks before, finally, destroying into many pieces all around the soldier and scattered around the water.

"Huh?" Mako then noticed that the tide is getting changed. "What's happening to the tide? It's going out!"

"Like you said, Mako," Yami explained, "but if you kept your mouth shut, you would've won this duel. The tide is controlled based on the moon. It's ebb _and_ flow. So I ordered my Stone Soldier into obliterating the moon, causing the tides to reverse and recede."

"AHHHHHH!" Mako growled.

"And now," Yami said, "your monsters are beached with no more ocean! And what better way to end this with fried fish by combining Curse of Dragons and the Burning Land Magic card, and wipe out the rest of your Life Points!" A dragon that looks like one made of yellow bones showed up. "BURNING LAND ATTACK!" Yume ordered quickly. The dragon released its fire breath on Mako's fish, frying them to destruction. "And that," she said, "is what makes you lose this duel!"

Mako screamed while both his Life Points dropped to zero and her friends cheering on her victory. "I don't believe this," he said quietly to Yume, "but destroying your own moon card was both brilliant _and_ unexpected, Yume. I must admit defeat." He sighed, then laughed a bit. " _But_ ," he added happily, "it had been a grand duel. And I salute you, my friend."

"It was no easy victory, Mako," she said, "but you've shown me what a great duelist you are! Please don't be downed by this loss."

Mako agreed. When Yami's jacket pocket glowed again, she transformed back to being young Yume again.

"Back to one star chip," Mako said as everyone got back together on land and the dueling platform vanished beneath the sea. "But I'll start over again!"

"And you'll do well! I know it, Mako!"


	5. A Ghoul To Take Down

"Wow, Yume!" Téa exclaimed as everyone was walking together, talking about her recent victory against the Sead Duelist, Mako. "Five star chips. That's the halfway mark."

"And soon," Tristan added, "you'll gain entry to the castle and rescue Mr. Muto!"

"And _I_ wish," Joey said a bit sadly, "I had more star chips."

"Calm down, Joey!" Yume said to him. "You're doing fine. I'm sure you'll help your sister with her loans soon enough!"

"I hope so. She's counting on me to win the money, and I won't let her down."

"Huh?" Yume stopped and listened. "Did someone hear that?"

"Someone, HELP ME!"

"Someone's in trouble!" Yume said, and ran towards the voice, with her friends at her heels. When they saw what's going on, a kid was being dragged by a man in a business suit.

"Let him go!" Tristan called out and came after the man. He grabbed his hand, making the man drop the child and flipped him over. But he just landed on his feet and gave Tristan a kick from above, and then picked up the kid that he dropped earlier.

"HEY!" Yume shouted. "What's going on?!"

"Nothing of your concern, kid!" He said. "Except that this duelist lost all his star chips and needs to be kicked off the island because of the rules."

"Hey!" the boy exclaimed. "My star chips were stolen! And my cards!"

"No excuses, kid! No starchips, no more dueling here. And that's the rules!"

He started walking away from them, but Tristan slowly got up. "I say," he said, "we follow him now!" When they followed him to a pier, they saw other duelists, who apparently lost, including Weevil Underwood.

"Hey, kid!" Yume called out to him. "What did the thief look like?"

He took a second to think. "Well," he said, "I couldn't see his face because it was covered with a bandana, but he was little though, and challenged me in the meadow. But as soon as I placed my star chips and deck down, he stole them and ran off!"

"That's terrible. Thievery shouldn't get you eliminated from the tournament. We'll get them back for you! Just trust us."

"I hope your right."

After a certain time has passed, Yume and her friends found the thief, who turned out to be Seto Kaiba's younger brother, Mokuba Kaiba, and after some consideration, made him reclaim his sins and will return the star chips and deck that he stole with three minutes to go.

But when they got back, the boat already left, even though 30 minutes hasn't passed just yet. "What's going on here?" Mokuba said. "I have to return the star chips."

But the man who was still there just swiped at Mokuba's hand, causing him to lose the Star Chips in the sea.

"The star chips!" Yume cried out.

"That's not the only thing that's wrong, Yume!" Joey said as the man picked up Mokuba.

"Mokuba!"

"I think," the man said, "it's time this kid returns to Mr. Maximillion Pegasus' castle, where he'll be well taken care of as a guest."

"Wait!"

"Huh?"

Yume showed her dueling glove, which has three star chips left. "I still have three star chips left. So I'll challenge you to a duel! And if I win, Mokuba comes with us!"

"Why would you waste you star chips for this punk, but if you want that to happen, come to Arena 146 in exactly four hours. And you'll have your duel there." After fours hours have passed, the gang went to Arena 146 for Yume's duel, where they saw the same man who's still holding Mokuba.

"There you are," she said. "Now put him down."

"I'll consider it," he said, "based on your performance, but not with me! Your opponent is right there!" He pointed to a figure who seems too familiar to be missed by any of the gang.

"Huh?!"

"An old friend who met an unfortunate end earlier, but he's came back for a duel against you for revenge, kid!"

"It has to be a trick!" Yume whispered. "I better be careful." She took her stand to duel who looks like Seto Kaiba, but not really.

Everything was ready for a duel between Yume and 'Kaiba'. When everything is in position, both Yume and 'Kaiba' were about to start their their duel, but 'Kaiba' had something in mind first.

"Kemo," he said, "once I defeat Yume in this duel, tell Pegasus that he has complete control over Kaiba Corporation. I just want the revenge! And now to duel with three star chips on the line to defeat you!"

"That means," Yume said, "I'll have six if I win!" They placed their star chips down and have Life Points at 2000.

"I guess," 'Kaiba' started, "I'll go first with the Hitotsu-Me Giant!"

 _Why,_ Yume thought, _is this more familiar earlier? I know! He's trying to replicate our duel, so I'm going to break this, because if I copy my moves, it'll only end in the same results!_

"I'll start," she said, "with the Dark Magician! With 2500 ATK Points!" A magician trained in the dark arts showed up, and prepared to attack. "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" Yume ordered. The Dark Magician attacked, destroying the Hitotsu-Me Giant. "There goes the Giant!" Yume said as 'Kaiba's' Life Points make a _big_ drop to 700.

He just laughed. "You," he said, "are just as strong, Yume." He laughed again. "And it's funny," he added, "how things come in a full circle, Yume. And what I want to know is, what are you thinking about right now? I'm thinking that you've come to a conclusion that no matter what happens in this duel, you'll never win, and I bet I'm right on the dot. I bet that even a simpleton like you knows that _I am_ the real Seto Kaiba. And once you accept that, you'll accept defeat as a result that goes with it!"

"I don't care," Yume said, "who you are, but you'll still lose just the same when you're against me!"

"And you hardly defeated me last time, Yume. But that advantage is gone now, so I can defeat you without worries."

"Explain yourself."

'Kaiba' chuckled. "Remember Exodia?"

"What?!"

"You've lost him." Yume suddenly now knows that her Exodia pieces were only partial and she took them out, too! "Without him," he continued, "you'll lose for sure!"

~Unknown Location~

The real Seto Kaiba, who somehow survived his fall and was able to, after a couple minutes passed, got into one of his labs and got to work! When everything was in place, Kaiba was going through the usual motion of getting his computer base ready.

But what Kaiba didn't understand is that Yume already lost the Exodia pieces and he got on his way with the computer to hack into Pegasus' computer mainframe to find where Yume is dueling!

Meanwhile, Yume was getting frustrated at 'Kaiba' because he was messing with her head. "Are you here," Yume asked, "to play head games or Duel Monsters? And it's your move!"

"And," 'Kaiba' said, "it'll blow your mind, because this one is a _blast_ from the past, Yume!" He showed her one card that would change everything up. "And attack with the Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"Ah, NO!" Yume cried out, when her coat pocket flashed. She checked, and then a bright flash occurred.

~Shadow Realm~

When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was in the Shadow Realm again. _I hope,_ she thought, _that my parents know what's up about this._

Apparently, she thought too soon because she saw Yugi and the Pharaoh there. "Father," she said, "and the Pharaoh. What's going on?"

"Yume," Yugi explained, "you'll lose this duel for sure. Because I was in the same situation, but Kaiba helped me!"

"How so? He was _dead_!"

"Not really," the Pharaoh explained. "You see…" He explained to Yume about how Kaibe _could_ survive death yet again.

"So now," Yume concluded, "I know what to do!"

~Duelist Kingdom, Yume VS 'Kaiba'~

Another bright flash occurred. When she opened her eyes, she was Yami again!

"Give me your best shot, Kaiba!" she called out.

'Kaiba' chuckled again. "As you wish, Yume!"

While the real Seto Kaiba was looking through the computer mainframe of Pegasus, he decided to look his best for Yume, and decided to strike the mainframe from the Industrial Illusions Satellite. And then he got his computer prepared to search for the Dark Magician, because he knows that Yume will play the card. And then explained how to disable most of the security.

After a few seconds, Kaiba is ready to crash the mainframe using the Satellite.

While 'Kaiba' and Yami were facing off, 'Kaiba' decides a different approach.

"But," he said, "I won't attack just yet! I'll just wait for as long as possible with a card face down!"

 _He has a Magic card,_ Yume thought, _I better prepare for the worst._ "Dark Magician in Defense Mode!" She said. "And Curse of Dragons in Defense as well!" She added.

"Nice try, Yume," he said, "but you played right into my trap with Defense Paralysis!"

"NO!" She gasped as her monsters switched from Defense to Attack. _My Life Points will be at stake,_ she thought, _while that card is played on the field! I got to get out somehow._

"And now," 'Kaiba' said, "time for some payback! Now, WHITE LIGHTNING WITH MY BLUE EYES!" His dragon started to charge up, and released on to Curse of Dragons, destroying it!

"ARGH!" Yami grunted.

"YUME!" Mokuba, Tristan, and Joey shouted with worry as her Life Points were cut in half!

~Unknown Location~

Kaiba was looking in every active dueling platform in search of the Dark Magician, but the only one he hasn't searched that's active is dueling platform 146.

"She has to be in there!" Kaiba said. "Search in there now!"

"On it!" The searching was about to happen, but the computer is starting to crash. Kaiba noticed this, and instantly had the computer rebooted, and then decided to take drastic measures. When he looked further, he saw what was expected.

"Got you, Pegasus!" Kaiba said as he saw the Dark Magician with an X over it. "So it must be a virus preventing us from getting there! Because searching for the card must've activated it, so it's time we blow this up!" A digital explosion happened, only to have him see a fortress. "What is _that_?!"

"A virtual fortress!" The computer said. "Sensors indicated that everything involving Yume's duels are stored here. But it's impossible to get inside in every way except for the password."

Kaiba silently chuckled. "If I know Pegasus that well, he would never expected _anyone_ to be smarter than him with this much progress. So the password is 'Pegasus'! Simple as that."

~Duelist Kingdom, Yami VS 'Kaiba'~

Yami is in a tough situation against the Blue Eyes White Dragon. _How,_ Yami thought, _am_ I _ever going to defeat the Blue Eyes NOW?!_

She heard Kemo laughing. "Yume," he said, "just admit that Kaiba is _much_ stronger than you thought this time!"

"ENOUGH!" Mokuba shouted. "Yume, that's not my brother and _I know it_! Everyone thinks that he's bad, but I know him long enough to say that he's never been this mean before! _And_ , my best friend in the whole world, and that guy is _not_ him. You have to believe me!"

 _I wish I was as sure, Mokuba,_ Yami thought, _but I don't have enough evidence if he_ _really_ _is or not. But I_ _do_ _know is that this duel isn't over yet!_

"Magical Hats!" She said as she played her Magic card down and concealed the Dark Magician, as well as three new hats came out!

'Kaiba' is surprised. "The Dark Magician," she explained, "is hiding under a hat, but which one is it, 'Kaiba'?"

"Well now," 'Kaiba' said, "you're now desperate enough to have your Dark Magician do a simple hat tricks?"

"It's no trick, but it's not simple, either! So take your turn, but think twice on your attacks! With four hats and one Dark Magician, 25% chance of finding him! But what other secrets is in those hats?"

'Kaiba' is shocked to know this, as Joey cheered her on for causing a scheme like that one.

~Unknown Location~

The virtual fortress has been opened with the password. "The password was correct, and we're in!" The computer praised Kaiba. "With access inside the fortress," the computer explained, "we have access to Yume's data, as well as someone new to a change!"

"Really, who?" Kaiba said surprisingly.

"This will come to a surprise, but Yume Orskov isn't who you seem to think she is."

"Then who is she, then? I need answers _now_!"

"Right!" The computer said. "Yume's full name is actually Yume Orskov Muto."

"Yume Muto?! Her last name is familiar, but I can't recall how!"

"You remember Yugi Muto, right?"

Kaiba was surprised that the name rang a bell to him. "Of course! Yume _must be_ Yugi's daughter, if evidence proves it right, Yume is fighting the same duels that Yugi was facing! But what I want to know is, what happened to Yugi? Last I've known him, he was facing a duel against Merrik!"

"Yugi faced a duel once, then loss." The computer explained. "And he had to pay the price for that lose! And last I can recall, Yugi was sent to the Shadow Realm, where his daughter was born."

"Impossible!" Kaiba shouted. "If that's true, then Yume _must_ have a monster side in her. But it can't be true, because it's just child's play trying to trick my mind!"

"If it _does_ happen to be true, don't say I didn't warn you!"

"But enough of that, and back to the real thing!" Kaiba commanded. "So, Pegasus thinks he can make up all of the rules, huh? But he'll never mention this new twist _I'm_ putting in this duel! Because it's payback time!" _And later on,_ he thought, _I'll ask Yume if these suspicions are true! More likely to drive me insane._

~Shadow Realm~

Back in the Shadow Realm, Dark Magician Girl is having troubled thoughts on what to tell Yugi! _Should_ _I_ _,_ she thought, _tell him that our daughter has a monster side? I kind of have to! Better find him quickly, before he found out on his own!_

She went to look for Yugi, but found the Pharaoh instead. "Pharaoh, have you seen Yugi? I need to tell him something!"

"I'll carry the message for him! What's it about?"

"It's about our daughter, Yume! She actually has a monster side of her."

"Which one?"

"A new one! It's called the Millenium Half-Falcon! I wanted to tell him, but I've been having trouble telling him because I had second thoughts."

"Dark Magician Girl. Remember that Yugi won't be mad, but I'll tell him, then agree that it _is_ true about it! Anything special about it?"

"Well, if the Dark Magician and myself are on the same side of the field, the Millunium Half-Falcon can be Special Summoned because all three are a family. And if enough creatures are destroyed by it, then the Falcon can make a direct attack!"

"I'll let him know, Dark Magician Girl!"

~Duelist Kingdom, Yami VS 'Kaiba'~

"I know where now!" He smirked. "But it's also a shame for this duel to end so soon, because _I_ was hoping for some fun. WHITE LIGHTNING!" He commanded the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

The dragon charged up and targeting the far right hat.

 _If that hat,_ she thought, _is the right one, there's more to this duel that I'll lose!_ The attack connected, with Yami smiling because she knew the Dark Magician isn't under there!

"WHAT?!" 'Kaiba' said surprised. "That hat was empty, but I was sure it was there!"

Yume's friends were cheering her on. "One down, and three to go! But guess wrong again," she added as she hid a card within the Magical Hats, "and it'll cost you! With only three hats left, one has a special surprise just for your Blue Eyes! But the hat with the Dark Magician will end this duel! _If_ you choose right. And an empty hat will lead to my turn! But I doubt that, because the hat that will contain the surprise is the one you'll choose!"

"I bet it's a Trap card."

"Just make your move."

"This is such a gamble, Yume!" Joey said.

"One right guess," Tristen added, "and the whole thing is over!"

'Kaiba' took some time to think about which hat to attack, then came to a decision. "Blue Eyes," he commanded, "attack the middle hat!" The dragon charged up yet again, and destroyed the hat marked to do so, only to find out that the 'special surprise' Yami played had gone through!

"Well now," Yami said, "You somehow activated my Trap card, The Spellbinding Circle!"

The Blue Eyes White Dragon has somehow got weaker. "Even though," Yami Yume explained as the monster's ATK Points dropped to 2300, "the White Dragon is deemed unstoppable because of it's ferocious ATK Points, but once drained by the Spellbinding Circle, it _won't_ be a match for a full-powered Dark Magician!"

The Dark Magician came out of the hat on the right and readied its staff for a direct attack on the weakened Blue Eyes. When he let his attack commence, the Blue Eyes White Dragon got disintegrated by the dark attack of the monster, destroying it!

"And that," Yume said as 'Kaiba's' Life Points dropped by 200, "ends the first Blue Eyes!" He growled.

"Nice one, Yume!" Mokuba cheered, only to have his hopes depleted.

'Kaiba' brought out a second Blue Eyes White Dragon and destroyed the Dark Magician, cutting Yami Yume's Life Points in half again! 'Kaiba' started laughing. "Guess the Dark Magician," he said, "wasn't skilled enough to handle a second one! Did you forget that I have three Blue Eyes White Dragon in my deck? It was also quite a shock to realize that you destroyed them all at once when you summoned Exodia! But without him, I'm UNSTOPPABLE! And it's your move, too."

~Unknown Location~

The real Kaiba was still getting to Yume. "Rerouting data," the computer said, "from Field 146 at Duelist Kingdom! Afterwards, we'll finally figure out if Yume _is_ really dueling there or not."

"She really is there. Now, to get in the area!"

"Searching now!" A couple seconds went by. "We're in, and downloading data right now. And you were right, Seto!" The computer said after the download. "Yume Muto _is_ in there!"

"Can you show me on screen?" A dueling arena showed up, showing all the cards on the field that are currently played.

"And the most interesting thing," the computer explained, "you'll know is Yume's opponent!"

Kaiba saw that it was his own name. "IS THIS A JOKE?!"

"Nothing is more worse than any joke, and the readings are there, too. The sensors must've indicate that the opponent opposing Yume is registered with your name _and_ using your own deck!"

"He must've took it, that Pegasus cheapskate!"

"And with the duelists tied, and with the imposter having the second Blue Eyes. Yume defeated the first one by the combination of the Dark Magician and Magical Hats. And with only 500 Life Points left and no cards on the field, _and_ it's her move."

"She can't win without Exodia! She doesn't have any more cards that are powerful enough to extract the power of the Blue Eyes and _survive_ , let alone two!"

"I hope you have a plan in stock."

"We better hurry because Yume will lose from the next Blue Eyes attack unless we can decrease its power from here! But the only thing I can come up with is…" Kaiba closed his eyes, trying to think, when suddenly, he opened his eyes. "Upload a virus on the dragon! And once it's done, the Blue Eyes will get _real_ sick from the virus!"

"Shouldn't we wait for Yume's move _before_ injecting the virus?"

"No time! Now inject the virus!"

"Uploading the virus now."

~Duelist Kingdom, Yami VS 'Kaiba'~

Everything is still the same, with 'Kaiba's' second Blue Eyes out and Defense Paralysis on the field so Yami can play monsters in Attack Mode only. _How,_ Yami thought, _am I going to beat a_ _second_ _Blue Eyes? I have no cards powerful enough to defeat it!_

"Just give up, Yume," 'Kaiba' said, "I promise you we'll hear the Fat Lady sing right after your turn. But Defense Paralysis is still on the field _and_ active! So your monsters can't defend themselves!"

"FERAL IMP in Attack Mode!" Yami played a monster down.

"I wish Yume would've waited longer before playing it!" Kaiba said from his base of operations. "Can the virus be uploaded faster?"

"Halfway there, _and_ at the fastest speed possible! Even at 60% viral injection, nothing is affecting the dragon, with no weakness showing!"

"Something must be rigged!"

Back on the field, 'Kaiba' was laughing. "This is just too easy, my Blue Eyes! Now, ATTACK!"

Yami is prepared to take the blow, but she saw something else. "What's going on?" She demanded as she saw the Blue Eyes showing weakness of a viral upload that neither of them knew about.

"What the," 'Kaiba' said, "ATTACK, BLUE EYES!"

"The Blue Eyes," the computer said at the base with Kaiba, "is starting to show weakness _and_ a dropped power!"

"It's still," Kaiba said worryingly, "too powerful! It needs to be weaker, or Yume's finished!"

"Something doesn't seem right!" Yami said on the field.

"MY BLUE EYES!" 'Kaiba' shouted as he noticed that the Blue Eyes is starting to be liquidized.

"The dragon is losing ATK Points rapidly!" The computer said at the base. "And it's also immobilized by the virus implant!"

"Now get to work on the third dragon!" He said, but the screens started to mess up. "What's going on?!"

"We've been locked out by a remote terminal. _And_ we've been hacked in return!" After a few moments, the hacking ended. "Attack Points stuck at 2000!"

"It should've worked! How is it possible?"

"I'm not sure, but you should be worrying because the Blue Eyes is about to attack!"

Back on the field, the Blue Eyes White Dragon, still having a rough time with the viral injection, is charging up its attack! "And now, my Blue Eyes," 'Kaiba' commanded, "it is time to obliterate _them_!"

Kaiba noticed that he failed to save Yume. "YUME!" Kaiba shouted, unaware that Yami must've heard him!

She gasped when she heard her name, sounding all too familiar, with the Eye of Horus on her forehead. "Kaiba?" She said, but loud enough that the Blue Eyes heard it, too! The attack was blasted, but the Feral Imp is still alive because the attack went around the Feral Imp and protected Yami's Life Points.

"Huh? The Blue Eyes." She noticed that the Blue Eyes, hearing it's masters' name, gave in to the virus, roared, and dissipated!

"H-How," 'Kaiba' asked surprised and worried, "is that even possible?!"

Kaiba was surprised to see the Blue Eyes White Dragon for a different purpose. "The Blue Eyes got destroyed," the computer said, "but the virus is _not_ responsible!"

"How is it even possible for Yume to defeat it?! Did she figure out a way?"

"It's your deck, so how could she?"

"I think the message that Yugi gave me was the same one that Yume told me, believing in the Heart of the Cards!" Then he noticed that the security frame to his base of operations is going off, as he heard it happen, so he had to act fast on his escape!

~Duelist Kingdom, Yami VS 'Kaiba'~

'Kaiba' is taking it tough to be lost in! "Why me?!"

"It's simple, imposter!" Yami explained. "The real Kaiba is still alive and stopped you." He started to protest, but she stopped him. "ENOUGH! This charade is over! And the real Seto Kaiba destroyed that Blue Eyes! I'll admit, I heard him calling to me when it happened. And no more of your lies! And we all know that you're definitely a fake, and show us your true self _now_!"

"And now!" 'Kaiba' said as he transformed. "It's time I reveal the true part of Seto Kaiba! HIS DARK SIDE!"

"And now," he said after the transformation, voice changing, "I wasn't lying when I told you I was him! _I_ was banished to the Shadow Realm. And because of Pegasus, _I'm back_!" He laughed.

"Of course I don't know how to call you!" Yami added. "I would've said a monster, but that would insult the cards, and I _do not_ want that to happen! And with your move next."

Dark Kaiba drew his card. "Only one Blue Eyes is left on your deck!" Yami added. "And a whole deck to go through, so who knows how deep the Blue Eyes is from the top!"

"Grappler in Defense Mode!" Dark Kaiba said and placed his card down.

 _He's stalling!_ Yami thought. _If he gets his last Blue Eyes, I may be down for. I better be quick in taking him out!_

"One card face down, And Celtic Guardian in Attack Mode!" An elf creature showed up in guardian clothing, holding a sword, which jumped and slashed Grappler, destroying it!

"Ah," Dark Kaiba said monotonously, "parting is such sweet sorrow. But now I have the Mystic Horseman in Defense Mode. And a card face down!"

 _Is it a Trap or Magic card? Either way, I better play safe._ "One card face down, and Mystical Elf in Attack Mode! And the Book of Secret Arts Magic card equipped to her to raise 300 Points of ATK and DEF!"

 _It doesn't matter anyway,_ Dark Kaiba thought. _She's strengthening herself to withstand my Horseman's attack. How simple is_ _that_ _? But if I can draw the last Blue Eyes in this deck, she's finished as soon as I attack with it!_

"Make your draw!" She called out.

"With pleasure!" He said as he drew his Blue Eyes. "And now!" He said very cheerfully, and everyone gasped. "It's time to say hello to another Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

 _Ah, great!_ Yume thought. _Just what I needed! But I'm not ready yet, but of course, I wouldn't expect Kaiba to help me again, leaving with maybe one choice left, and it's very risky, too! If I do it wrong, this duel is over!_

Dark Kaiba laughed. "And now to end this duel! WHITE LIGHTNING ATTACK!"

The dragon released its attack on the Mystical Elf! "Got you!" Yami said as she turned over a Trap. "MIRROR FORCE!" Mirror Force did its effect. "The attack got stopped! And now it'll bounce back right at your dragon!"

The attack on the Mystical Elf broke the mirror, changing targets with the Blue Eyes White Dragon!

"Good trick," Dark Kaiba said. "But not enough for my own Trap. NEGATE ATTACK!"

The white lightning got dissipated before hitting the dragon. "So you had one all prepared, huh?"

"Not only would Negate Attack prevents any attack thrown at me, it even stops my _own_ attacks!"

Yami just chuckled when her friends had doubts. "And now," she concluded, "it is time to finish this." She revealed a Magic card. "MONSTER REBORN!"

"NO!" Dark Kaiba said worryingly. "That allows you to take a monster from either player's graveyard!"

"I'm glad you know that, because I'm bringing out a fallen BLUE EYES WHITE DRAGON!" The dragon that she defeated twice in this duel showed up and let out a roar.

"Heh heh, nice try, Yume!" Dark Kaiba said. "But both are evenly matched."

"But the powers don't match!" He gasped. "My Mystical Elf is what you forgotten. You thought she wasn't all that important, but she's been chanting a spell since she was on the field! It allows her to transfer her own Attack Power to another monster I choose, which was inspired by Seto Kaiba himself. Who showed me that you can alternate the attack power of a Blue Eyes, but I'm raising it instead of lowering it like Kaiba did!"

"No no NO!" Dark Kaiba said in grave fear. "It's not happening!"

"Too late!" Yami said. "Because this is a message Seto Kaiba would say: You lose! Blue Eyes, OBLITERATE!" Yami's Blue Eyes White Dragon charged up its attack, then released its energy on the other Blue Eyes, destroying it, and wiping out the rest of Dark Kaiba's Life Points!

"Pegasus," Yami added when the field covered Téa, Joey and Tristan's vision, "may have saved you from the Shadow Realm, but it won't happen EVER AGAIN! OBLIVIATE!"

* * *

a/n Hey, guys! Quick reminder that the switching between the duel and where Seto Kaiba is would be too much to have out, so at some points, I'd piece the two together.


	6. Joey VS Dino-Expert

Hey guys! Sorry about not putting any a/n or anything in the last one. Yami and Yume prevented me from doing anything unless I duel them (In which case, I lost.)! Still, nothing I own except for my one character, Yume!

* * *

Yume and the gang were looking around, finding Mokuba, who they noticed was missing after the duel. They also noticed that Kemo was gone, to. "Where are you, Mokuba?" Yume called out.

"No time for hide-and-seek, kid!" Joey called out.

"They must've brought him back to Pegasus' castle!" Tristan said as they regrouped.

"Now they have Mokuba _and_ Yugi's grandpa!" Téa pointed out.

"Another reason," Yume said, "to win all 10 Star Chips and get inside."

Joey then noticed something on the ground. "Hey, what're those?" They all saw Duel Monster cards on the ground and around Tristan's feet.

"Those are mine, Joey." Tristan called out. "So hands off!"

"I didn't know you were a duelist, Tristen!" Yume said. "I'm actually surprised at that."

Tristan grabbed a card that Joey had in his hand. "I figured that if a doofus, like Joey, could hold his own, then I'd be an expert here."

"Wait, I think I know _this_ one!" He picked up a Lava Battleguard.

"Isn't that one in your deck, Joey?"

"Not really, Yume, but I'm pretty sure I have one just like it." He checked through his deck and found Swamp Battleguard. "Here we are! Swamp Battleguard. And look at that, Tristan! They look like long-lost brothers, even though yours doesn't hit as hard as mine!"

"Huh? HEY!" Tristan exclaimed. "Lava Battleguard never let me down and hasn't since. If you try him out, you'll see for yourself!"

"You know, it really does say that they _do_ work best when their together." While the gang is breaking through, Mai has been having a boring time dueling since her lost with Joey.

"I mean," she said to herself, "beating all the other duelists is like going through a Fall clearance sale. I wonder how it's not…" She put the pieces together. "BLAST YOU JOEY!" She growled. "How can an amateur beat me?"

What she didn't notice is that someone has walked up close to her. "Now, how can I get even with him?!" Then she noticed that someone is behind her, and turned around. "Oh, it's you!"

"Hello, Mai!" He said. "The Dino-Duelist here wants a rematch from that moment on the boat we didn't finish!"

"Believe me, Rex. I wanted something else, but maybe you could help me."

"Huh?"

"I'll just cut to the chase…"

She was filling in with Rex Raptor while the gang is looking for a new duelist for Joey so he could earn Star Chips to save his sister, Serenity, from debt, until Mai decided to show up.

"Well now, Joseph, glad to see me?"

"What do _you_ want, Mai?" Yume said.

"I'll just cut to the chase. If _you_ , Yume, weren't around to help Joey in our last match, he would've lost." Yume was about to protest, but Mai stopped her. "I'm not finished yet, Yume! I want Joey to duel on his own."

"All right. What's the catch, Mai?"

"I'm thinking that he should face a duel I've prepared for him. I know you would've _never_ have beaten me if it wasn't for you, Yume. So I propose that you duel someone I've arranged a duel with!"

"Then who is it, Mai?"

"It's not me, that's for sure!" As if on cue, Rex Raptor showed up from behind a tree.

"Know me, Wheeler? Because I'm dueling on Mai's behalf!"

"Rex Raptor, the Dino-Duelist who scored second place in the Regionals."

"So, I'm supposed to be scared by him? He doesn't look that tough."

"What's it going to be now, Joey? Do you accept, or do you still need Yume's guide to help you."

"NO! It's my fight, and what I say goes."

 _Mai,_ Rex thought, _would keep her end of the bargain if I'm able to stomp out that Amateurous-Rex._

 _And maybe,_ Mai thought, _if I let other duelists do_ _my_ _dirty work, I'll be able to get inside, but better not rely on that strategy a lot._

"Oh, and I almost forgot."

"What?"

"If Yume does any of her backseat dueling, then Joey is disqualified, and Rex automatically wins by default. Do you agree with the rules, Joey? Do you want to prove yourself that you can handle by yourself? Or back out?"

"No way! He'll definitely back-" Téa protested, but Joey stopped her mid-sentence.

"That's enough, Téa! This one will be between me and Rex. If I lose to him, then I don't deserve _any_ of these Star Chips that got me this far with the help of Yume. My whole life has been nothing but others trying to help me because they think I can't protect myself, and this is my big chance to prove it!"

"Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but I don't think he's sane enough to duel properly!" Joey got mad enough that he turned around and pushed Tristen to the ground.

"I had enough, Tristen! I'm tired of everyone backing me up." Tisten got up and left, saying that he won't take any responsibility if Joey loses.

"But Joey-"

"Enough, Yume. I can't take this anymore."

He then turned to Mai and Rex. "What's your choice then, Joey? Run and hide, or fight and survive?"

"Why else am I still standing here, Mai?" He then turned to Yume. "I don't want to hurt you, Yume, but I want you to stay out of this duel."

He turned back to them. "All right, Mai! I'll duel Rex."

"All right!" Rex exclaimed as a dueling platform showed up behind Mai and Rex. "It's Dino feeding time!"

"Come on, Joey!" Téa encouraged him. "You know what you're fighting for!"

Joey and Rex were getting prepared to duel, Joey would feel confident in winning.

 _And the best way,_ Joey thought, _to beat him is the time travel strategy! It helped me beat Mai before, so maybe it'll work again this time!_ "And I can't believe," Joey added before he drew his hand, "you reduced yourself to being Mai's attack dog!"

"At least I'm not a dueling monkey!" Rex gloated, and Joey got really angry for Rex mentioning it, which surprised him. "So now," he added, "how many Star Chips to wager, Wheeler!"

"Two, but I got plans in doubling them!" _Even though,_ he thought, _I have a hard time in figuring out which Field is which as well as using them to an advantage! I'll just have to hit him hard and fast!_ "All right, Rex. It's time to duel!"

Yume had something on her mind and looked in the direction Tristan walked away from. "Hey, Téa," she said, "cheer Joey on without me, okay? I have something to do!" And then she ran off without another word.

Joey drew his hand, and saw that he had his combo in his opening hand. _All right, my card combo!_ He also noticed that Yume is not there with Téa! _Ah, well. Here goes nothing!_ He placed a card down. "Baby Dragon in Defense Mode!" At first Rex was surprised, but started his turn.

"The main thing, Wheeler," Rex pointed out a fact, "about never leaving a baby unattended because of THIS!"

He placed a monster down. "Two Headed King Rex, ATTACK!" A dino with two heads showed up and stomped on his Baby Dragon.

"I didn't get a chance to do the combo!" He said quietly.

"If anything, Wheeler," Rex implied, "is to never Defend on the first move! Even 3-year-olds know _that_. To which I can't believe you did such a thing!"

"Joey, no!"

Mai just laughed. "Really now, Téa? You really should know that Joey did the one mistake that _could_ cost him this duel!"

"And without it," Rex bragged, "my King Rex can terrorize the field for the rest of the match!"

"Okay, maybe I did that one little mishap, but I think the monster to do the trick!" He placed another monster down. "LEOGUN!"

"Show the overgrown Iguana who the _real_ king of beasts really is!"

"Nice try, Wheeler, with another mistake you did! The FIeld Power Bonus for wilderness gives him the advantage over your pussycat." The ATK/DEF of his King Rex raised up to 2080/1580!

"Now, FOOT STOMP!" His King Rex took a foot and stomped Leogun, dropping Joey's Life Points to 1670. _And the quicker,_ he thought, _I_ _bash_ _this tenderfoot, the sooner I can have my rematch duel against Mai!_ "Come on, Wheeler! Take your turn."

"Hold your horses! When I'm ready to make a move, I'll make one. AXE RAIDER, with a Field Power Bonus!" An Axe Raider showed up with ATK/DEF of 2210/1495. "Now, STRIKE!" Axe Raider raised its axe and slashed the Two Headed King Rex in half.

"Now he's gone," Joey said as Rex's Life Points dropped to 1870.

"It's not over yet, Wheeler! Sword Arm of Dragons, destroy his Axe Raider with SWORD TAIL SLASH!" With a field bonus of 2275/2630, Sword Arm of Dragons used its tail to destroy Axe Raider, dropping Joey's Life Points to 1605.

 _How am I,_ Joey thought, _going to defeat him if he destroyed three of my monsters_ _even_ _with the boost? Not only that, but Yume and Tristan abandoned me, as well as my best friend Yugi, who I've last heard was dueling with Merrik, even though I've never seen him since._

~Nearby water source~

Yume was looking for Tristan and found him by a source of water. "…Jerk!" She heard him say.

"You all right, Tristan?"

Tristan turned around, and was surprised to see Yume. "What're you doing here, Yume? I thought you were cheering on Joey."

"Joey made it clear that he doesn't need my help. And ever since you left, I should've, too."

"You know, Yume, there's two different things of me being there and you being there. Joey won't last two minutes against that conniving little freakasaurus without your coaching. I don't care what he'll say about it, go back out there and help him now!"

"I'm sorry, Tristan, but Joey has to win this duel on his own." Tristan grabbed her shirt collar. "If I," she added hastily, "go back on my promise and help him, he'll be disqualified, and we have to believe in him for him to believe in himself."

"I," Tristan said with hesitation as he let go of Yume, "I don't think he can win, Yume."

"Come on, Tristan. There's something more important than winning and losing. He's learning to be a strong brother to his younger sister, Serenity. Even if he doesn't need our help, he needs our support so he can focus on getting better than this!"

While Yume is trying to consider Tristan into coming back to watch Joey duel, he's having a tough time against Rex. _Maybe,_ he thought, _the only way to help my sister was by relying on my friends._ He shook his head.

 _What am I thinking?! I can't think like that. Because if I do, what'll my sister think if I can't get the prize money for her debts? Now how can I defeat him?_ He looked at his hand, then noticed that he still has Time Wizard.

 _Time Wizard? I still have him?! But he's no good anymore because I don't have my Baby Dragon anymore!_ Joey placed the Time Wizard down. _I'll just place him on the field anyway._ "Time Wizard," he said.

 _Well now,_ Mai thought, _that's the same card that he beat me with. I better warn Rex before it's too late!_ "Raptor!" She called to him. "Be careful of the Time Wizard and watch it!"

"It doesn't matter, Mai, he'll never know how to use it without poor Yume's help!" _And I_ _know_ _what he's up to!_ He thought. _When the next time he plays a monster, he'll be in for a prehistoric pounding of his life._

 _Maybe,_ Mai thought, _Joey_ _was_ _able to defeat my Harpie Ladies, but only because Yume coached him through it. But_ _this_ _time, he's all alone._

"Rock Ogre in Defense!"

"Now I know your not knowing what you're doing, Wheeler. MEGAZOWLER! Time to wreck that rock, old school style. HORN RAMMING CHARGE ATTACK!" A rhino appeared and charged after Joey's Rock Ogre, destroying it, but Joey's Life Points were saved. "And now, he's back to the Stone Age, reduced as rubble that is!" He laughed, but Joey got serious.

"I've had enough. FLAME SWORDSMAN! Carve up that dino like it's a big turkey!" His monster showed up with a Field Power Bonus.

"Do you really think," Rex taunted, "that the puny swordsman will work after what I did to your Rock Ogre? I'll just teach you respect from dinos the hard way! NOW ATTACK!" His rhino started charging at the Flame Swordsman, unaware from both of their knowledge that dinosaur monsters are weak against fire.

"Raptor, that was a mistake!" Mai called out.

"Now, FLAMING SWORD OF BATTLE!" Joey commanded.

The Flame Swordsman started charging its sword up and slashed at the same time Megazowler struck him. After a few seconds, the dino was covered in flames and vanished, dropping Rex's Lie Points to 1330. "How could a swordsman beat my dinosaur?"

Joey just blinked, thinking how did he win. "Just great!" Mai said quietly. "Dino-type monsters are vulnerable to Fire Attribute monsters. But he didn't know that! He just got lucky on that one!"

Joey chuckled. "I guess I found your dino weakness, Rex. Hope your not too sore about it. Dino-SORE! Get it?"

"Sword Arm of Dragons!" Rex played in Defense Mode.

"Now, the tables have turned! You're bound to run out sooner or later, Rex. GO, Flame Swordsman!"

With every monster that Rex played in Defense Mode, Joey destroys with his Flame Swordsman, until…

"You know that one card will never help you, no matter the outcome!"

"How about another, then? Swamp Battleguard!" A Swamp Battleguard showed with ATK/DEF because of Field Power Bonus of 2340/1950.

"Yeah, right! I have another beast that can wipe that smirk off your face _permanently_!" Rex was a bit nervous, but drew his card and smirked. "Now for the top link in the food chain. SERPENT NIGHT DRAGON!"

"Huh? How could you have such a rare card, Rex?"

"It's a rare card," he explained, "rewarded to the elite few who made it to the finals of the Regionals! And you would have the honor of getting thrashed by it! NIGHTMARE SONIC BLAST!" His dragon prepared, and lets out shadow sonic blasts against the Flame Swordsman, destroying it.

 _Now what could save me from his Serpent Night Dragon?_ Started to have a little doubt, but drew his card to find Lava Battleguard, Tristan's card. _Tristan's card? It doesn't matter what happens between us, because he always had a way to show up somehow._ He was replaying a memory with Tristan.

"And that's when it hits me!" Joey exclaimed quietly. "Tristan is always looking out for me, not because he thinks I always need his help, but because he's been a true friend."

"Hey, Joey!" He heard a familiar voice.

"What?" He turned to the voice, to see not only Téa, but Tristan and Yume there, too!

"Go on, Joey!" Tristan advised him. "You going to take that card of mine for a test drive or what?"

"All right! Here goes." He placed it down. "Lava Battleguard!"

"A touching reunion, but it won't last for long once my Serpent Night Dragon will blast them to shreds.

"Now, ATTACK THE GREEN ONE!" The attack was about to hit Swamp Battleguard, but on the last second, the Lava Battleguard blocked it, and the attack was deflected and returned. "How is this happening? The attack's reflecting!"

He and Joey also noticed that the Serpent Night Dragon was getting hit by its own attack and got destroyed. "And how is it possible that my dragon's attack got repelled? There's no Trap cards on the field!" But when he looked at Swamp Battleguard, he saw a surprise that he'll never forget!

"Of course!" Tristan called out. "The red one blocked for the green one."

"And right where I need it the most, too."

Yume suddenly realized from her father why the red one blocked the green one. "Now I get it!" She cried out. "Those two are like best friends, so when together on the same side, they power up and support each other!" She turned to Tristan. "Just how you and Joey were going through in real life, right, Tristan?"

"That's the point of being a buddy, Yume."

"Thanks, Tristan. I owe you, buddy." Tristan gave him a thumbs up.

"Not only you have a great team, Joey, but you also took out the biggest dent on Life Points you ever did!" Rex's Life Points dropped to 840, and he growled.

"Now that the partners have showed up…" Joey started.

"…There's not a monster Rex has that can stop us!" Tristan finished.

 _Celebrate while you can,_ Rex thought, _because this party_ _will be_ _crashing soon!_

"Those guys," he said, "may have control of the field, but let's see if they can handle this one, then!" He placed a monster in Defense Mode. "TRAKADON!"

His dragon was starting to show up, but Joey counterattacked it! "Battleguard, give that card a BASHING!" Lava Battleguard struck the monster, even though the monster had high DEF, the creature was defeated, leaving both Battle Guards glowing.

"Wow," Tristan exclaimed, "look at them glow! They must be some kind of attack team!"

"That's right, Tristan!" Yume said. "The power bonus gained with both on the same side together, they make a tough duo to beat!"

"And especially he took out Rex's favorite monster, there's _no way_ he'll win this! It's time to end this, Joey!" He nodded, but Rex let out a short laugh.

"Who said," he explained, "that Serpent Night Dragon was my best one?" Rex drew his card, then smirked. "This one is a more powerful dragon, but a different sort! Meet the RED EYES BLACK DRAGON!"

Everyone gasped as Mai was surprised. "The WHAT DRAGON?!" Before long, a big, black dragon showed up with red eyes! An ATK/DEF Points of 2400/2000!

"Those primates," Rex explained, "can power up until they're green in the face. They are _both_ no match for the power of this beast!"

 _I had a feeling,_ Yume thought, _that Father would tell me about this card! The said powers to rival those of the Blue Eyes White Dragon._

"About time," Mai said quietly, "that Rex plays a card that'll put Joey in his place!"

"And for those," Rex implied, "brain-dead brutes of yours will rescue each other from _this_ dragon's rampage, think again with DRAGON NAILS! It'll power up my dragon even more!" He explained it while his Red Eyes ATK Points was raised to 3000. "Now, my Red Eyes, INFERNO FIRE BLAST!" The Red Eyes charged up its fire energy, then released it at full power on one of the Battleguards and destroyed them both when the field cleared!

Joey and Tristan both gasped. "How," Joey asked, "can they both be torched in one blast?!"

"Those," Rex explained, "who defend together are destroyed together. Did you even think that those little clubs would be enough to be saved against my dragon's wrath!" Rex continued laughing as Joey's Life Points decreased to 235.

Mai complemented on Rex's work on almost wiping out Joey's Life Points, saying how a good job he's doing so far! "Your defeated Battleguards," Rex added, "also left an odor of defeat. So, who's next on the roast?"

"Stay calm, Joey!" He said to himself. "There's gotta be a way to stop that Red Eyes from crushing me for good with it's fire breath."

 _There_ _is_ _one way,_ Yume thought. _But I can't tell him, so he has to figure it out! His Time Wizard should help him in the most disasterous situations._

"My dragon," Rex said triumphantly, "can destroy _any_ monster you play! Turning them into piles of ashes to replace that deck of yours!"

 _There just_ _has_ _,_ Joey thought, _to be a way to beat that Red Eyes, because none of my own monsters can out-muscle that thing!_

"Joey, listen to me!" Tristan called out, and he turned to him. "You don't have the strength to kill it, but try the smarts you got! Just remember _his_ training!"

Joey gained confidence, and that's when Yume's coat pocket started glowing. She checked, then a bright flash occured.

~Shadow Realm~

What she saw in there was both Yugi, and Dark Magician Girl, her parents!

"Mother! Father! What's going on?"

"We feared," Yugi said, "that this might be the end for Joey!"

"That's not true! He placed his Time Wizard on the field, but it's not out yet. He needs to do Time Roulette to win this!"

"But there's dangerous consequences with Time Roulette!" Her mother cried out. "If played wrong, Joey might lose this duel."

"Don't worry, Mother! I have a feeling that Joey _will_ win this!"

"Just like how I thought it," Yugi exclaimed, "I _know_ there's enough confidence like I told you, Dark Magician Girl!"

"There is hope, Father! There is." Her coat pocket glowed, and she was back in time to hear Rex's deal.

~Duelist Kingdom, Joey VS Rex~

"Why," he said, "don't we make this duel more exciting by placing one card each up for grabs, especially with the Star Chips we have? And to be more fair, whatever card we have one the field will be the ones up for grabs!"

"Cards on the field? But I don't-" Noticing his Time Wizard. "I completely forgot about Time Wizard!"

"So, I'll give you my Red Eyes if you can beat me, but if I win, I get the Time Wizard! Sounds fair enough?"

While Mai and Rex were arguing, Joey had thoughts that the Red Eyes Black Dragon will be very helpful at helping him win Pegasus' tournament! But there was some catch when Joey agrees to the conditions when he loses, but reconsidered himself.

"Alright, Rex! I accept this deal. Winner takes the Star Chips, Red Eyed Black Dragon, _and_ Time Wizard!"

Mai was surprised, as Rex thought it would happen, because his plan was to steal it all along. "But _this_ time," Joey added, "I'm bringing him as my next weapon! HA!" He brought out his Time Wizard onto the field.

"The best move Joey could do," Yume said to Téa and Tristan, "is already going underway!"

"Now, here's what's gonna happen!" Joey explained. "I'll start Time Roulette, and if it lands on the time machine, then your history on this duel!"

"Do you think that one spin will bring all the possible luck? What if it lands on a skull?"

"That's a chance," Joey reassured, "I'm willing to take! Time Wizard, START THE TIME ROULETTE!"

Time Roulette just started on the Time Wizard when Joey called it out! "Yume," Téa said to her, "what happens when it lands on the skull?"

"Self-destruction," Yume replied, "and then Joey loses a chunk of his Life Points!"

"Then Joey," Tristan called out, " _better_ get lucky because he'll lose if it lands on the skull!"

While Time Roulette was going, Téa complained that in one spin, either one could win this duel! Yume reassured her that she has faith for landing on a time machine and not a skull.

Time Roulette kept going, while Joey wanted the time machine and Rex wanted a skull. And pretty soon, it started to slow down.

"Here goes nothing!" Yume called out. "It's starting to slow down. Pretty soon, it'll stop!"

And as the arrow slowly stops, it at first stops on the skull, but then bounced on the time machine above it!

"Way to go, Joey!" All his friends cheered on him, while Rex was surprised on sudden change on the time wheel.

"Alright, Time Wizard," Joey called out, "TIME WARP, GO!"

"TIME MAGIC!" Time Wizard said as time flowed by.

"What's wrong with you, Wheeler? The space time continuum is speeding out of control! Eons are passing as seconds!" When the Time Wizard was done, the Red Eyes Black Dragon is staying in one place, but is all grayed out, as if fossolized!

Mai insisted that it was natural for the dragon to be grayed out, and told Rex to attack with it.

"Okay," he said uncertain and hesitant. "R-Red Eyes? Can you try and attack." He didn't see the end of it because the Red Eyes Black Dragon is starting to crumble, and soon, fell into pieces!

"For all those years," Yume explained, "that passed with the Time Wizard turned the dragon into a brittle shell of dust!"

And with that, Rex's Life Points dropped down to zero after noticing that he has lost his best card. "So, you won my Star Chips now?"

Joey sighed as his were at a little amount of 235, but then noticed the deal he and Rex had. "I don't just get your Star Chips, Rex! Do you remember our deal? I also get your Red Eyes Black Dragon! FAIR AND SQUARE!" Rex thought he wouldn't noticed and started crying.

" _And_ ," Yume smiled, "without any advice from _me_!"


	7. The Curse Of The Ring

I can't believe how many views this story has been having! Also, from now on, if Seto and Yume met and there's other people, he's going to act normal as if he didn't know her parents, then ask her when they are both alone!

Again, I own nothing except Yume!

* * *

Yume and her friends have been finding more duelists for her and Joey to win for Star Chips for a long time, because a full moon was out. "Seems," Yume said, "it got dark really fast! Must've been in a hurry to end the day!"

"We should set up camp, Yume," Téa said. "And I'm _not_ afraid, Tristan!" She added when Tristan opened his mouth. "Besides, even though you guys are here, who's protecting you guys?"

"Setting camp time!" Joey called out, and pretty soon, everyone setted up camp. "Even if there's only chipmunks and squirrels in these woods."

Little did they know that someone was following them, when they sat down while telling ghost stories, but the stomach of Joey's almost got him into eating a wild mushroom, but Tristan stopped him on time.

"What's wrong with you, Joey?!" Yume exclaimed. "Wild mushrooms are poisonous _and_ dangerous!"

"Then let him eat it, then!" A voice said, but when they all looked, it was none other than Mai.

"What is it, Mai?" Joey demanded, then after much to be known, Mai explained that she'll have entrance tomorrow, but having a knapsack full of food would be useless.

After for _much_ more consideration, Mai got Joey and Tristan to separately gather firewood and fetch water. And with them out of earshot, Mai turned to them. "Yume and Téa, right?" She asked, and they both nodded. "Well, a makeshift shower is nearby if you both want to freshen up a bit!"

"Thanks, Mai!" Yume called out. "There _is_ something I should ask you, though. Do you know of _anyone_ named Yugi?"

Mai took some time to consider the question. "Give me a bit more time while you take a shower, Yume!" She nodded, then headed to the makeshift shower. Mai turned directly to Téa. "I've known Yugi since Pegasus started this last time! And last time I've seen Yugi was at Kaiba's Battle City Tournament when I lost against Merik! And since then, I was able to free myself from banishment, and still remember it all! I have a feeling like I've known that girl before."

"Take it easy on her, Mai! If your suspicions may be true, she might lie about it as though she didn't know about it. I've had that feeling before, but I was the same; thinking if I should tell her or not!"

"It's best if we have enough knowledge before telling her!" Téa nodded just when Yume was finished.

"Okay, Téa!" She called out. "It's your turn!" After a routine of being well-fed and relaxation, at some points, everyone forgot about the tournament and enjoyed themselves, and pretty soon, Mai went for a walk.

After long into the night, Joey was feeling beat, but then when they all decided to check on Mai, a rustle in the bushes freaked out Téa!

Joey and Tristan automatically go on the defensive, with Joey thinking that Mai was there the whole time, but she was kidnapped by an Eliminator! But out stepped a boy that too familiar to be forgotten! "BARKURA!" Everyone but Yume exclaimed.

"What are you doing out here?" Joey asked him.

"Same here, I guess." He replied and after a different kind of consideration, he was joined in with everyone. They all had their decks out, and Bakura was curious about something. "So, tell me guys," he said, "out of all your cards, which one would want to be if you were out on the field on your own will?"

Joey started. "If anything, the Flame Swordsman would kick _anyone's_ butt real good!"

Tristan went next. "And for mine, Cyber Commander takes it's toll on others!"

Téa complained on that, but Yume reassured her. "Everyone has an identification with their own card! Do you have one, as well?"

Téa looked through her deck, then pulled out a card. "The Magician of Faith!"

Then Bakura turned his attention to Yume. "What about yours, Yume?"

"Oh, mine?" He nodded. "Well, I'm tied between two, but my top two are Dark Magician Girl and the Dark Magician!" She took those cards out. "Dark Magician Girl because she's the pupil of the Dark Magician, and him because he's the all powerful wizard!" She saw Téa open her mouth, but Yume stopped her. "I know it's a little silly for this, Téa, but my Father said this once before.

"'It's not about the playing cards. It's about putting a little bit of your heart into anything you care about!'"

"I think I've heard that phrase before, Yume!" Joey called out. "Gramps said that before, but Yugi told us that one time. I still remember that moment!" Then it hit him. "Wait a minute!" He suddenly shouted and stood up.

Yume gasped. "What is it?!"

"Yume, is there any way you're in relation to Yugi? Because the duels you faced and what you said brought déjà vu's ever since I met you!"

Yume was shocked, but kept it hidden because Joey found out about it. "I'll tell you guys later, but not now!" She then turned to Bakura. "What's _your_ identification, Bakura?"

"This one!" Bakura showed them the card. It showed a half angel, half demon holding a floating heart in her hands.

"Change of Heart? I've never known what _that_ card does!"

"Maybe we could duel just for fun if you want to see how it works. No Star Chips on wager!"

"That's great, Bakura!" Yume exclaimed. "We could duel right now!" Little did they know that the duel would be more serious than they thought! With Bakura telling everyone to put their cards in Yume's deck, that way it'll be like they're _all_ playing, and finding a suitable tree stump for dueling, Bakura had one more thing left to tell them!

"One more thing before we start," he said. "I have to show you something!" After a bit of thought from everyone, a ring appeared in his hands.

It had five points, and it was golden, but what shocked Yume the most is the Eye of Horus! "A millennium item?!"

"And with the power," Bakura said, sounding a bit sinister, "of the Millennium Ring, we can take this duel to the Shadow Realm!"

 _MY PARENTS!_ Yume thought out. _They'll know about this!_ "But why, Bakura?" She asked.

"Because," he said, "I know a little bit about your past by just a glance, so you have something I need!" After the power of the Millennium Ring took full effect, the body's of Yume and her friends were lifeless, because their souls were trapped in Yume's deck!

Bakura stood up. "And now for the Puzzle!" Although he didn't see it around Yume's neck, he planned on searching it. But her coat pocket started glowing, showing that he was too late! Yami took her place as she sat up!

"You want the Puzzle, Bakura?" She asked him as she got up. "You'll have to win it first! And my victory will be the release of my friend's souls and return us."

Bakura let out a short laugh. "I accept, Yume! But I'll warn you that there's more at stake than you ever thought of! And this Shadow Game will be one you _cannot_ win!"

Just before their duel started, 'Bakura' revealed that he's a thief, a stealer of souls, who's done terrible things to be in possession of the Millennium Items! "Let's duel now before I get bored!" The thief said. "And I'll be kind to let you start!"

As Yami decided what to bring out, she decided to place a first card of a favorite. "Cyber Commander in Defense Mode!"

However, instead of the normal Cyber Commander, Tristan showed up instead! Yami saw this instantly that Bakura trapped everyone's souls into their favorite cards!

The thief chuckled. "Pretty tough, but is he tough enough to face the White Magical Hat!" He said as he placed it down in Attack Mode and ordered it to attack, dispersing Tristan!

Yami demanded where Tristan was, but Bakura explained that he's in the Graveyard. Yami is having a hard, but the only way to save her friends is by winning! But according to her hand, there's only one card powerful enough to win.

She placed it down. "The Flame Swordsman!" Instead of a neutral monster, Joey appeared!

Joey freaked out upon seeing Yami, but she calmed him down. "Listen, he sealed your soul into that card! You're the Flame Swordsman himself! And without a victory, there's nothing to return to you to normal! But a defeat in battle will send you to the Graveyard like Tristan! And to win, restore your souls and leave this Shadow Realm, I'll need your help!"

And after consideration, Yami was able to get Joey to attack the White Magical Hat, destroying it and sending the thief's Life Points down to 1200! "He got lucky, Yume! But not this time!" He placed a card in Defense!

Yami wondered why he did that, until Joey attacked it, revealing a Morphing Jar! "A Morphing Jar! When it gets attacked all players discard their hands to the Graveyard! We're both lucky that our remaining friends not being in this hand!" Both her and the thief put the cards in the Graveyard and drew a new set, seeing Dark Magician Girl! _What happens when I play it?!_

The thief chuckled again. "With a new hand," he said with another Defense monster, "comes a whole new perspective! With the game ever shifting with new danger surrounding every corner!" He placed a card face down.

 _He's definitely freaking me out!_ Yami thought. _The worst part is, what's he up to now? I'd better play this one, just to be safe! Especially with Dark Magician in the Graveyard!_

She placed a monster down. "Dark Magician Girl!" Which turns out to bring Yume, a bit more powerful because a Dark Magician is in the Graveyard. "And I'll play Reborn the Monster, allowing me to bring back a new one!"

And in response to this, Cyber Commander came back to Yami's side of the field! Yume figured out that someone was guiding her to victory on certain duels, even though she was obvious about it once or twice!

And with consideration from her, they all decided to trust in Yami! And before Joey could strike, Yume called out that she was played. She raised her staff. "MAGIC ATTACK!" She attacked the face down, which is another Morphing Jar! "NOT AGAIN!"

"Time to send our cards to the Graveyard again," the thief reminded Yami.

As Yami drew her hand, she got shocked with the last one: The Magician of Faith! "Not this one," she called out.

"Téa's favorite card?" The thief wondered. He put another face down monster, then activated Just Desserts, which gives Yami quite a shock as she lost 1500 Life Points, 500 for each monster she controlled! Yami is in quite danger because one attack like that would end this duel, and she would lose! So, to keep Téa's soul safe, she played Magician of Faith in Defense Mode!

After Joey making a little joke about Yume's height, she got so mad that she attacked Electric Lizard, which was Bakura's face down monster! Afterwards, she received a shock, forcing her into Defense Position for two turns!

And Bakura found out how to start everything after, Yami placed a Trap Card down and ended her turn.

However, Bakura was all planned for this as he called out his next monster! "See if you can handle the Man-Eater Bug!"

"Oh no!" Yume called out still in Defense Mode. "As soon as that card is flipped, it'll destroy any of us! And it's no use attacking because the effect is Flipped! As soon as we make an attack on it, the ability will go into effect! But the cost is a sacrifice on one of us!" With consideration, Tristan decides to sacrifice his life for Yami to play the Trap Card! But Joey stopped him to sacrifice _his_ life instead!

Joey ran after the Man-Eater Bug to take it down, delaying its ability activation until Yami played her Trap! "By sacrificing the Flame Swordsman," she called out, "I'm activating the Horn of Heaven Trap Card! Using its celestial tune to obliterate your Man-Eater to oblivion!"

After that, Man-Eater Bug and Joey (Flame Swordsman) were sent to the Graveyard, where the thief mentioned that they'll _all_ be together spending an eternity.

While Joey was looking around in the Graveyard, he had the feeling that he's not alone. His instincts were right, though, because the Reaper of Cards is coming after him!

Meanwhile, Bakura was telling Yami something. "If there's any harbor illusions into rescuing Joey from the Graveyard. And you've already played Reborn the Monster, which is the only way to get him back! And if he doesn't leave the Graveyard soon, the Reaper of Cards will come and claim his soul soon enough _forever_!"

"Joey!" Téa said sadly. "He sacrificed himself to save all of us!" Her eyes were starting to water while Joey kept running from Reaper of Cards, but ended up tripping on a rock! Téa let a tear escape, landing on her card, which activated upon the tear.

"The Magician of Faith has been activated!" Yami called out. "One Magic Card from the Discard Pile is added to my hand!" She played the card without hesitation. "And the card is Reborn the Monster!"

Just before Joey got hit by the Reaper of Cards, he suddenly disappeared, causing the Reaper to narrowly miss. And he came back to the field! Everyone was glad that he returned unharmed, but the thief wasn't pleased. "You waste time and turns alike just to save these foolish mortals!"

"My friends," Yami called out., "are _never_ a waste of time! But it's your turn, because you have no monsters on the field and I can't attack!"

The thief chuckled. "Of course because after this one, I'll win and you'll lose, and your Puzzle becomes mine by playing Lady of Faith in Attack Mode, then the card that'll put your friends into attacking each other!" He placed down the Magic Card. "Change of Heart!"

"Bakura's favorite!" Yume called out.

"And a magical one, too. And with it, I can turn one of you against your friends! And with time of protecting your friends, it's their time to destroy!"

"I _won't_ allow it!" Yume called out and crossed her arms.

"You don't have a choice either way, Dark Magician Girl, because Change of Heart allows me to be in _complete_ control over one of your monsters! By which, mine would be _you_ , Little Yume!"

"You _will not_ bring her into this mess!"

"And why should I? Why destroy her when I can destroy you as well. Even though you're here to guide and protect her, but there's no way you'll protect her from Change of Heart!"

Yume closed her eyes due to the bright light, and used her arm and staff to shield her eyes! When the bright light dispersed and she could look again, someone else was Change of Heart!

"BAKURA!" They all exclaimed.

"So, it was true with everyone! They're souls are locked away inside their favorite card!"

The real Bakura, who is the Change of Heart, smiled, but quickly said, "I have a plan, but we have to act fast, Yume!" He said that while taking control of the Lady of Faith, causing him to become the Lady of Faith. "I've taken over _his_ instead of _yours_! I'll have her controlled while you attack me. This'll mark as a win, Yume! Attack me and it's over."

Yume lowered her staff. "If I do," she countered sadly, "you'll be destroyed and the Reaper of Cards will get to you."

"I don't care! Being destroyed for good is better than being enslaved by an evil spirit!"

While him, Yume and the thief were talking, the Eye of Horus showed up on Yami's forehead! "I got a different idea, and a better one!" Then the Millennium Puzzle started shaking around Yami's neck, causing the Ring to spin. "If the Millennium Ring can pull people's souls out, then the power of the Puzzle can return them where they rightfully belong!"

After the effect has been done, Bakura is in his own body, and the thief has become the Lady of Faith! The thief was surprised something like this happen, and some consideration from Yami later, Yume was ready to end this, knowing that the real Bakura won't be harmed in any way!

"You got it!" Yume approached the thief with her staff raised as its power started charging. "MAGIC ATTACK!" And with enough power surging through her staff, she released the power onto the Lady of Faith, which is the evil spirit, and ending the duel by bringing Bakura's Life Points to zero!


	8. Escape From The Dark Inferno

I know Joey would receive an explanation from Yume, but later on I'll do that! In fact, after this duel. Also, there are time skips around here and I'm doing the duels that Yugi did on Seasons 1 to 3 of Yu-Gi-Oh! Nothing I own except for my character!

* * *

When everyone got up after the duel against Bakura, they all said they had dreams of a duel, with Téa's the most specific, saying that they were dressed as Dual Monsters and with two Yume's as well! Yume and Bakura hide it until a scream was heard from a distance!

"That sounded like it belongs to Mai!" Joey called out. "Hurry!" Just when they got there, though, they saw Mai's Harpie Lady's get destroyed, seeing three! "My harpies!" Mai said sadly as her Life Points dropped from 800 to zero!

"They've been eliminated!" Said a man from the shadows. "And so are you! So, hand over _all_ of your Star Chips!"

"MAI?!" Yume called out. "Are you okay?"

The man grabbed her wrist. "She lost, girly! And she had to pay the price for facing against me in a duel! I was paid to do this on account of Pegasus to wipe out everyone on this island."

"You guys _have_ to run!" Mai called out. "Panik is an Eliminator, and he'll duel you out of your Star Chips!"

"What's an Eliminator, Mai?"

Panik showed Yume Mai's glove, which showed no Star Chips. "This," he explained, "is the work of an Eliminator! An empty dueling glove means disqualification!"

"Panik duels in his own way, and I lost it all to the end!"

"And she," Panik added, tossing her to Yume and friends, "was the easiest to beat!" He kept laughing like it was all a joke.

"That's enough, Panik!" Yume called out, surprising everyone.

She stepped towards him. "Oh no!" He said in sarcastic. "I'm so scared for a measly girl like you!"

Yume got so mad that, when her coat pocket glowed due to the Millennium Puzzle, she didn't bother looking as she changed into Yami yet again. "You're dueling with me and I'll be returning Mai's Star Chips when I win!"

"Good luck, then!" Panik said. "You'll need it!" He laughed.

"You got this, Yume!" Joey called out as Yami and Panik gets ready for their duel.

"Yume?" Panik wondered, until it dawned on him and laughed. "My lucky day! Pegasus ordered an extremely high bounty on you, and the first Eliminator to wipe her out gets a bonus! Maybe a little extra for causing actual harm!"

"And I can tell how you duel!" Yami called out. "You sneak up on unsuspecting duelists instead of giving the courage to face them head-on! While true duelists battle with honor and respect!" Soon they all got prepared, and Panik is dueling for all of Yume's Star Chips, which is five, and then adding an eight for Mai on her victory as they started their duel with 2000 Life Points each!

"Just one more thing before we begin, Yume!" Panik called out. "When you duel with me, you'll be putting more at stake than you thought!" Panik pressed a button, and Yami's ankles were trapped as well as two flame columns appeared with her in the middle. Yami shielded her eyes from the flames as her friends called out to her!

"What's the matter, Yume?" Panik laughed. "Can't take the heat? If you can't, then you should deal with it because you're strapped in for the long haul! Panik turned down the heat after recieving a couple complaints from her friends. "The fear is showing _and_ growing in your eyes! I'm starting to think that you're going to panic!" He laughed some more.

Yami's friends were trying to get her to come down, but Yami wasn't the least bit afraid as she dusted her shoulder. "Are you finished blowing smoke, Panic?" She asked him with no fear, but brave, making her friends gasp. "It'll take more," she added, "than cheap pyrotechnics for my cool to lose!"

"Last time I heard someone say that, I _destroyed_ them! NOW, LET'S DUEL!" They drew their cards, with Panik drawing one more as he starts the duel off.

"Since the fire didn't faze you one bit, we can turn down the lights!" He placed a monster in Defense. "My Castle of Dark Illusions will turn this duel to the darkest you've ever faced. Because this castle will enshroud the field in shadows with extra fortification, too!" His castle showed up with ATK/DEF Points (Added with boost.) of 1196/2509.

 _I have to place a defense,_ Yami thought, _if I'm going to find Panik's weakness in the dark._ "Celtic Guardian in Defense Mode!"

Panik placed a monster down, but Yami can't see it! "Now, my monster. DARK GRASP OF FURY!" Because of Panik's castle, a shadow came from Panik's side and grabbed the Celtic Guardian, crushing him, but Yami's Life Points didn't go down due to Defense Mode.

"Nice try, Panik! But you'll have to do better than using all attacks caused in the shadows. And if anything, I can see through you. And to prove it, the boogieman keeps kids afraid of the dark, until they realize that the darkness is not that fearful! And once someone conjures up to _not_ be fearful of the unknown, then can destroy the source of it! And I'm sure I can beat you in five turns from now."

Yami played out Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress. "FIREBALL ATTACK!" The dragon did so, and revealed two of Panik's monsters. But one of Panik's monsters attacked, dropping her Life Point to 1606. Yami now knows what she's up against. "Alright, Panik," she said. "I have a card in my hand that'll get rid of the dark and expose your monsters!"

"I'm sure you have nothing of that!" Panik shouted out. But Yami kept her cool and placed a card face down. "I bet Swords Of Revealing Light is the face down you just played!" He said, but Yami kept smirking.

"If you are so sure," she said, "then why don't you try and get rid of it?"

"And I will, Yume! With this monster!" He placed it down. "Reaper Of The Cards! DESTROY THAT MAGIC CARD!" Reaper went after it, about to slash it with its scythe, but it kept freezing. "What's going on?"

"You feel for my bluff, Panik." Yami said as she revealed it. "Spellbinding Circle would stop your Reaper!" The Spellbinding Circle hit the Reaper Of The Cards, stopping it in its tracks. He was in a fury about it after Yami played two face down cards. "And for capturing him does what to you?" Panik called out. "I still have monsters more powerful than him!"

But Yami chuckled. "You do remember," Yami called out, "that right when this duel started, I could beat you in five turns, Panik? There's four left, so make your move! And these 4 will bring you out of the shadows to show what a true bully you are!"

"You're not realizing who you're facing against!" He hit a switch. "Panik the Eliminator!"

He got two columns of fire with Yami in the middle, but she wasn't scared. "Am I supposed to be scared, or are you running scared? But pretty soon, you can't stall anymore, so make your move!"

"I don't believe this! Yume's not even scared!" Téa called out. "She's even playing with fire!"

"That's her at work there," Mai said. "You see, Panik enjoys breaking others down and making them sweat and squirm. And for himself, dueling is an excuse to practice his cruelty!"

Panik is going through a bit of a tough time while he drew his card, and he started laughing. "This beast will surely give me the win!" He played it in Attack Mode. "King of Yamimakai! But don't take my word for it." His beast came into the field, and Panik laughed again.

"And," he added, "with the Field Power Bonus, that all my monsters get from the night, my King is far more powerful than your dragon! Now, King of Yamimakai, ELECTRO-SHOCK ATTACK ON HER CURSE OF DRAGONS!"

As his beast started charging its electrical output, Yami had other plans for him. As soon as his monster attacked, it rebounded on his Reaper of Cards, destroying it instead of Curse of Dragons!

"You messed up, Panik!" Yami called out as his Life Points drop to 494. "The Spellbinding Circle drew that electric attack, causing it to rebound! And it won't work when they step out of the darkness and into the light! And now," she added as she flipped a Magic Card. "Time to reveal the darkness with Swords of Revealing Light!"

After a few moments, the Swords did their job of dispersing the dark, preventing Panik from attacking for 3 turns, as well as reveal his field to Yami! "Three turns left, Panik! And your monsters stay frozen for three turns, causing my strategy to be a success!"

 _There'll be_ _no way_ , Panik thought, _that this one can defeat me! An Eliminator wins all the time! An attack can maybe be aimed on her next turn, but Curse of Dragons is all she has! And I have three, each more powerful than what she has: Barox, Dark Chimera, and King of Yamimakai! Even with Swords of Revealing Light, the night time still gives them a Power Boost! And after the effect of the Swords are over at three turns, they'll be free and I'll wreck havoc on her precious monsters, begging me to end this!_

"Stalling, Panik!" Yami called out. "Are you going to draw your next card or are you too afraid to do so?"

Panik drew his card, thinking that Yami will be a tough nut to crack, and enjoying to slowly crush her! "Listen, Yume. This'll card'll prevent you from defeating me in three turns! So…" He placed it down. "Forfeit now because I play Chaos Shield!"

"Uh, great! Not only does it'll raise the defenses of monsters, it also affects your entire field, putting all your monsters in Defense Mode!"

"And not only that," Panik added, "I can combine it with my Castle of Dark Illusions, making this combination makes a protective shield on my entire field!" As he said this, the Illusions Castle created a barrier around Panik's monsters, making them tough to get. "Now your monsters can't get anywhere near mine as long as Chaos Shield is in play! Still thinking that the next three will prove my defeat, Yume? And not only that," Panik added as his monster's DEF Points were raised, "it raises the Defense Point of _all my monsters_!" His ground monsters have DEF Points of 2600, and his Castle has 3200.

 _And even with my strongest attacks,_ Yami thought, _that barrier will stay intact, but there's a major weakness in the Shield when he combined it with his Castle!_

The gang is also discussing Yume's chances of beating Panik after his victory against Mai. Panik got a bit furious. "Admit it, Yume!" He called out. "I have you beat!"

But Yami just laughed, catching Panik off guard. "This is how you'd win, Panik. Winning through intimidation, but not skill. And don't think I'm surprised, either! You think that your tactics are taking me by surprise, but I saw your strategy the minute I saw who you really are. I _knew_ you would use Chaos Shield and combine it with your Castle! You're a coward, like bullies who find some place to hide behind."

Panik growled. "I'M NOT A COWARD!"

"If that's so, but your strategy says otherwise."

Panik growled harder, then moved a switch, turning up the heat by aiming flame cannons right at Yami. "You _dare_ call me a coward?!" They fired, but Yami leaned back, avoiding the blasts.

"Are you finished," Yami asked bravely, "or are you going to continue to hide behind your bluster and battlements like a coward?" Panik started to lose it. "Doesn't the truth hurts, Panik?" Yami added. "Facing up to your true self is usually more than bullies like you can bear, and hide in the shadows." It's an old trick that Yami is using: Using Panik's tactics against him.

"Now, it's time you come out of the shadows completely and duel with honor! And the only way to tell if I'm bluffing or not is to finish the game, and with two turns to go! And it's my turn, Panik!" She drew her card, which brought her closer to winning.

"And I play Gaia, The Fierce Knight in Attack Mode!" She played it and her knight showed up.

"You really think," Panik shouted out, "that a monster _that weak_ can break through my Chaos Shield!"

"I wasn't planning on attacking, Panik!" Yami called out as she flipped a Magic Card. "I planned on using Polymerization Magic Card!"

"POLYMERIZATION?!"

"Yes," Yami pointed out. "And with it, I can combine Gaia and my Dragon to form Gaia, the Dragon Champion!" Her knight and dragon fused together to have Gaia on top of her Curse of Dragons, with ATK/DEF Points of 2600/2100. "And after you take this turn, it's all over, with you being finished!"

 _What does she mean, finished?_ Panik thought. _Even with 2600 Attack Points, it's not strong enough to destroy the Shield! There's more to be done than that._

Panik drew his card, having him think that everything is going his way! "Metal Guardian in Defense Mode! And I'll have him in front of the Shield, but the Power Boost raises his total Defense Points to 2795. Now, it's impossible to reach my monsters!"

"I knew it all along, Panik! You wasted your last turn, and now it's payback time! It'll depend on what I draw now for fate!" She drew her card, promising an end right after her turn, then played it. "Catapult Turtle in Attack Mode!" The Dragon Champion got out of the way as a mechanic turtle with a catapult built into it. "And with him," Yami called out, "I can launch Gaia to shatter your defences! Not only that, it'll also raise Gaia's Attack Points to an even 3200! Were you expecting _that_?"

"Preposterous, Yume!" Panik called out. "The defences of my monster is too powerful to break through!"

"Who said I was aiming at them, Panik?" Yami reminded. "No, I'm aiming for your Castle of Dark Illusions!" She pointed at his Castle, which he forgot this whole duel ever since Chaos Shield was out.

Panik just noticed it. "Even if the attack got through," Panik reminded, "I'll take _no damage_ whatsoever!"

"We'll know right now. Catapult Turtle, LAUNCH MY DRAGON CHAMPION AT THE CASTLE OF DARK ILLUSIONS!" Catapult Turtle aimed right at the middle of the Castle. "FIRE!"

The launch was successful as the Dragon Champion was launched at the Castle, creating a big smoke explosion. Covering what happened, but it happened at a major cost of Yami's Life Points, dropping her to 300. As the smoke cleared, the Castle was still high up, but with a lost ring. "No way!" Téa cried out. "The castle is still floating?!"

Panik laughed as though he won. "Looks like your plan backfired, Yume, because my castle survived from a worthless attack! The only difference of it is that it lost it's flotation ring. And because your attack failed, I can finally eliminate you! When the swords vanish, I'll deactivate my Chaos Shield, bring all my monsters to Attack Mode, and then finish you off _for good_!" After hearing his plan to wipe her out, Yami is still laughing like it was a joke. "What's so funny now?"

"I just realized something, Panik!" She said, then pointed out, "What's so suspicious about a floating castle, even without it's flotation ring?" He gasped. "Now, what if it's the _Swords_ that's keeping the castle still there? What happens then?"

He realized what _would_ happen when the Swords of Revealing Light goes away, and started paniking himself! (Bad pun, I know.) "Nobody _ever_ defeated me before! _Never_!"

"And my turn is over!" With that, the Swords of Revealing Light started vanishing, one by one until there was none left.

With all the Swords gone and the Castle of Dark Illusions, without it's flotation ring, it started sinking, using the Chaos Shield as a tunnel to reach Panik's monsters. "Run for it, my monsters!"

"They're blocked by the Chaos Shield!" Yami called out. "They're stuck there with their own pain by the castle that all happened on purpose!" As his monsters try to pierce through the Shield, which is a doomed failure, they all tried to prevent getting squashed by holding the castle up, but it was no good because the castle is too heavy! As they all got squashed with the castle being broken to pieces, finishing off all of Panik's monsters and wiping out the rest of his Life Points!

Even though Panik is taking it too hard, he decided to ring the flames up to the _max_ by smashing his fire dispense mechanism, causing all the flames to surround Yami! But before she got hit by the flames, her coat pocket glowed and the Eye of Horus appeared on her forehead, causing the flames to not hit her, and surprising Panik!

"How were you able to survive?!"

"One thing at a time, Panik!" Yami said. "The child whom I took place is known as Yume Orskov Muto, the daughter of Yugi Muto!"

"IT CAN'T BE!"

"And not only that, she was given possession of the Millennium Puzzle, which protected _us_ by the flames! I'll be protected, but what's protecting you from…" She held out a hand, open palmed at Panik. "OBLIVION!" When the flames cleared, Panik was gone, and Yami now has her prize as she reverted back to kid Yume again! She walked over to Mai and returned her Star Chips.

And with the duel against Panik over, Yume's friends cheered her on for a great victory! But after the cheering, Yume asked Joey if she could have a moment alone with him and he agreed. Yume made sure that she and Joey wouldn't be heard. "Joey, I think you deserve an explanation!"

"What's up, Yume?"

"Remember when you asked me if I was in relation to Yugi?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well…" She looked inside her coat pocket, to see the Millennium Puzzle, then take it out. "The truth is, my full and true name is Yume Orskov Muto."

"IT CAN'T BE!" Joey suddenly called out, but Yume shushed him.

"Joey, please listen! Yugi is my Father. Last he was known, he was dueling against Merik. He lost, and now he's in the Shadow Realm! I'm here to break him out of there by defeating Merik, I'm just waiting for the right moment to battle him!"

"I see, but why come here to rescue him? Shouldn't you be battling him now?"

"It's not the point, Joey! I have to build a reputation first, and not only that, I need the right cards to beat him."

"I can't tell if I should trust you or not!"

"Then let me prove it, Joey!" She grabbed his arm by which her coat pocket glowed. She checked it, and then she and Joey both ended up in the Shadow Realm!

"I have to hold onto you, Joey!" Yume explained. "Or else, you'll be stuck here." Then she saw Yugi. "Father!" He turned around, then came to them.

"Yume, what is-" He noticed Joey with her. "-let me guess: Joey found out?"

"He did, Father! He put two and two together. He even asked me if I was in relation to you. He couldn't tell whether to trust me or not, so I decided to bring him here."

"It _is_ true, Joey," Yugi said. "You see…" He explained about his whole duel against Merik, and how he lost. "…And now," he finished, "my daughter is the _only_ one who could stop this threat!"

Joey thought this through before realizing it. "Okay, Yugi! I believe you both."

"And in time," Yume added, "everyone will know the _full_ truth! I just hope Kaiba would understand, too."

* * *

a/n This is as far as progress would allow. I'll continue making these, but it'll take time.


	9. A Nightmare Full Of Zombies

Lethalty60: I was able to get more progress in this! I'd be doing chapters involving duels to add in on this! And please read from the beginning if you're confused because I'm NOT-

Yume: (Rolls eyes.)

Lethalty60: Okay then! TIME WIZARD FOR TIME ROULETTE! (Lands on time machine.)

* * *

Joey woke up from a nightmare running from the Blue Eyes White Dragon just before he got hit with white lightning!

He got angry and woke everyone up.

"Joey!" Yume called out, a bit tired for sleeping in the tent with Téa. "Is everything alright?"

"Nothing, Yume! Just a fresh new day in the tournament, and ready for another duel!"

"You didn't have to yell, though." Tristan reminded, then Téa showed up from the forest, holding a sack.

"Hey guys! Something going on?"

"Isn't Mai supposed to be with you, Téa?"

"She had to go, but wanted to leave a note for Yume." Téa handed her a piece of paper in Mai's handwriting.

 _I owe you 8 Star Chips! See you around, Mai._

"I'm guessing," Yume said thoughtfully, "Mai is in with us, right?"

After some more time, Yume and friends were looking for other duelists so Yume and Joey could get 10 Star Chips each! They know that the duelists are getting stronger as the duels go by!

But with some argument between Joey and Tristan, they were unaware that a trio was watching them, having them leave later to confirm suspicions on them by their leader, and had their plan out!

Afterwards, Joey started running off, saying that they're being stalked and he's going to do the same thing, which made it easier for him to be kidnapped.

But in a cave, the kid named Bonz had his deck done that would give him the advantage in a graveyard field boost.

Then when Joey was knocked out near a waterfall and brought into a cave, he slowly woke up and realized he was at a dueling platform and he started freaking out because he has no idea where he is.

"Wait a minute!" Joey said quietly to himself. "I think I might remember this place."

Then Bonz showed up on the other side of the dueling platform. "Welcome," he greeted sinisterly, "to the Arena of Lost Souls! And you better abandon hope because no duelist _ever_ made it out alive! And this duel will also be your last!"

"Just to let you know," Joey called out, "I'm not scared of anything around here. Just your creepy face that gives me the willies!"

"You've pushed it now!" Bonz called out angrily. "Lay down your Star Chips and start the duel!"

Joey is still a bit traumatized from his dream. "I had enough of this!" He pulled out 4 Star Chips from his Dueling Glove and placed them down. "4 Star Chips and start the duel!"

"With pleasure," Bonz said, "And I'll start with Zanki in Attack Mode!" A humanoid samurai showed up with ATK/DEF Points of 1500/1700.

"I'll dent that armor with AXE RAIDER!" Joey placed his monster down. "ATTACK WITH WIND BLADES!" His raider slashed the samurai, dropping Bonz's Life Points from 2000 to 1800. "Play your next card, Bonz, because I'm not even scared of what you'll do next!"

"One monster in Defense Mode!"

"It won't help you because this duel is in my favor! ATTACK, AXE RAIDER!" His monster slashed the face down, which turned out to be the Crawling Dragon, destroying it!

"Alright! Now-" Bonz was surprised to know that the leader wanted him to cause Joey into fright by having him gain confidence first. "Crass Clown in Attack Mode!"

"Are you sure you know how to duel right? Flame Swordsman, DESTROY THAT CLOWN!" Joey's monster destroyed Bonz's and wiped his Life Points down to 1350.

 _He's scared now!_ Joey thought. _And pretty soon, this duel will end in my favor. He has no tricks, and someone has been giving him the wrong way to battle! My sister is counting on me to win this whole thing._

Bonz was a bit scared because he thought his leader was leading him the wrong way, but when he drew his card, he absolutely forgotten about it! "And now," he said, "this duel is over no matter what you do!" He placed down the card he drew. "The Call of the Haunted!"

"What the heck does that card do?"

"Every monster you destroyed," Bonz's leader responded, "is instantly returned from the grave."

" _And_ ," Bonz added, "they become Zombie monsters, which gives them the power of immortality!"

Joey started to get a bit scared, but Yume can sense him close by, but Téa picked something folded up and yellow.

"What's this, Yume?"

Yume took it and opened it up and the first thing she saw was a picture of Serenity. "This is Joey's wallet! He's never careless about losing this."

"Found something, guys?" Tristan and Bakura came to meet up with them. "We couldn't figure out-" Tristan noticed that Yume was holding a wallet. "Isn't that Joey's wallet?"

"It sure is! He'd never lose this because a picture of his sister is in it!" Yume started to feel something strange as her Puzzle glowed and a bright flash came!

~Shadow Realm~

Yume opened her eyes, to see where she is, and saw Yugi and the Pharaoh.

"Father! Pharaoh!"

"Yume," Pharaoh said, "Joey is close by! Use the Puzzle to find him!"

"Anything else I should know?"

"Nothing for now," Yugi said. "Just be careful when someone knows who you're related to."

"Okay!"

~Duelist Kingdom, cave close by~

Yume opened her eyes, only to see that she was on the ground. She slowly got up, making sure not to frighten her friends again, only to see that she's alone!

"Odd," she said, "I wonder where they went?" Then it dawned on her that they were suspicious about the nearby cave, so she decided to investigate.

While she walking in a cave, she noticed that there was skeletons on the ground. "They must have gone through here! Pegasus' humor must've been that bad if they freaked out!"

Yume started running as she had a sense that Joey is losing, and saw him along with the rest of her friends, including Bakura! "Guys!" She called out and they turned to him.

"Yume?!" Bakura called out. "I thought you were behind us!"

"Sorry! What happened?"

Joey filled her in on his duel against Bonz with the latest update. "Now what should I do?"

"I'm sorry Joey!" Yume called out. "But I'm only telling you that Zombies have a certain weakness! Find it before it's too late."

"Okay, Yume!" Joey drew his card, which happened to be Time Wizard. "Alright, looks like luck is on my side this time, Bonz! Because I'm playing TIme Wizard for TIME ROULETTE!"

Bonz got scared because he knew what would happen if Time Roulette lands on the time machine, but as soon as it slowed down, it stopped on the SKULL!

"No way! This didn't happen last time!" Joey cried out as both his Time Wizard and his Flame Swordsman left the field.

"That's not the only thing left!" Bonz's leader reminded. "Half the Attack Points of all of them is reduced from _your_ Life Points!" Joey's Life Points dropped from 1530 to 630!

"It's my turn, but I'll go a bit easier at that and pass this turn!"

Joey is getting bad and somewhat losing this, but played a monster in Defense Mode.

"Hmm. It's nice, Joey! But it's not good enough for PUMPKING, THE KING OF GHOSTS!" A pumpkin Zombie with a crown on its head showed with ATK/DEF Points (Plus Power Boost.) of 1950/2600. "And his special ability is Ectoplasmic Fortification!"

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Joey said as Pumpking used its tentacles and placed one on each of Bonz's monsters!

"Ectoplasm," Bonz explained, "is the ghostly substance that gives my zombies their power, and since my Pumpking is the king of ghosts, he can pump up ectoplasmic energy, which increases their power by 10% each turn, and turns them into GIANT ZOMBIES!

"And now, my Dragon Zombie," Bonz ordered, "ATTACK WITH DEADLY ZOMBIE BREATH ON HIS FACE DOWN!" His dragon charged up its breath before unleashing it on Joey's face down, destroying it. "That was too weak, Joey! Bring on a monster that's tougher to destroy!"

"Nice try!" Joey said as he placed Armored Lizard in Defense Mode.

For every card Joey placed down, Bonz monsters get more powerful and his monster destroyed!

Yume's been getting the sense that Joey needs one card to turn this whole duel around, and she knows what it is!

But when Joey drew his next card, it wasn't the one that she was expecting. "RED EYES BLACK DRAGON!"

"How did you even get a card that rare?!" Bandit Keith called out.

"If my defenses are blocked, Bonz, then I'm taking the offense! Now, INFERNO FIRE BLAST ON THE OVERGROWN PUMPKIN!" His dragon started charging up, then released a fire blast on the Ghost, destroying it for good!

"Nice one, Joey!" Yume called out. "And because he started out as a Ghost, the Call Of The Haunted is canceled from that one monster!" Bonz's Life Points dropped to 855.

"So what?! Even though you got rid of him, my monsters are still poewrful enough to destroy you! DRAGON ZOMBIE BREATH!" His Dragon Zombie powered up and destroyed Joey's Red Eyes, dropping his Life Points down to 150.

Joey drew his final card, and realized that this is the one Yume was talking about. And to make sure, Joey checked the ATK/DEF Points of Bonz's monsters. _It seems,_ he thought, _that even though Zombie's have strong Attack Points, their Defense Points are worthless!_

Joey smiled big. "Get ready, Bonz! Because first off, I play Battle Warrior in Attack Mode!"

"That's the last you had, Joey? I should probably laughing, but go on!"

"You shouldn't have laughed anyway, because I play the Magic card Shield And Sword, ehich switches the Attack _and_ Defense Points on the field!"

"NO!" Bonz yelled out as all Points of every monster on the field has swapped, leaving his monsters with 0 ATK Points, and Battle Warrior at ATK/DEF Points at 1000/700.

"Now, ATTACK WITH ULTIMATE BATTLE FIST!" His Warrior struck a Zombie, destroying it and dropping Bonz's Life Points down to zero!

"Nice going, Joey!" Yume called out.

* * *

I'm surprised how everyone would go through trouble to see an end to this, but I'm planning on having Chapter after Chapter until Yume can have a final duel against a certain someone!


	10. Double Trouble

Lethalty60: Again, I own nothing! And saw hello to the Thousand Year Dragon, Yami!  
Yami: Not this again!  
Lethalty60: Also, I'm giving a bit of spoil because this'll be the first double duel! And I'm having one person speak at a time, too!  
Yami: Not too much, is there? I'd hardly call it a spoil!  
Lethalty60: THOUSAND YEAR, DESTROY HER DARK MAGICIAN!

* * *

After the gang got stuck in a cave and decided to explore it, with Bakura in the lead because his Ring can detect other Millennium Items!

"How much further left, Bakura?" Yume asked him.

"Not to far now!" Bakura called, but stopped as they saw a dueling platform. "How would-?"

"You have entered sacred grounds!" Someone said.

"Where only duelists can be found!" Another said.

"So, what's the point? We _are_ duelists," Joey said.

"Before you pass across this chamber…"

"You must agree to face the danger, so let the contest begin!"

"And notify your next kin!"

"And not only that you're trapped because all the doors are locked!"

"And now," they said together as they revealed themselves, "you face the Brothers Paradox!"

"And," one said, "we've been also employed as Eliminators to take away all your Star Chips!"

 _I wonder how this dual work._ Yume thought.

"And if you manage to win by some crazy fluke, a different puzzling test would begin!"

"And behind us are two doors! One leads to an endless maze, and the other leads to where you need to go!"

"And instead of dueling solo, a dueling team must be formed!"

"I've never heard of tag team dueling before," Tristan said.

"But," Yume reminded, "there's no other way, so my and Joey would have to work as a team to win this! I accept with Joey as my partner."

"That's right, Yume! Ain't no way we'll lose to the Paradox Brothers! And I'm betting 2 Star Chips!"

"Along with 4 to make it 6!" Yume put down four as Joey put down two. "And if we win, Joey, we'll _both_ have entrance to the castle and confront Pegasus!"

"TIME TO DUEL!" The Paradox Brothers said.

"And now!" One of them said as he drew his card. "I'll start things off with Labyrinth Wall!"

After some time, the entire field became one big maze! "A whole maze?"

"And unless you can navigate it correctly, you'll be stuck forever!"

"The problem is, we've never been in a tag team duel before!" Yume pointed out.

"Then let me explain," one of the Paradox Brothers said. "We all start with 2000 Life Points like any duel, but if one duelist loses, then their whole team is gone with them!"

"And not only that, each team will alternate between turns, so it would be one of us, then one of you, and it'll continue until this duel is over! And the Labyrinth rules are much easier to follow!"

"As you summon a monster, it would act like a piece on a gameboard, movement equals power level! And if you manage to get past them all and make it to the end, the two doors puzzle will be your reward."

"Freedom for picking the right one, and eternal maze in the wrong one."

"And to make things simple, one would tell the complete truth while the other says complete lies. And to keep track with you, we'll each give you one question!"

 _This is just like a riddle I had as a kid!_ Joey thought. "What is the door that you two are guarding?"

After some moment, Para and Dox pointed to Dox's door. _This is pretty suspicious,_ Yume thought as she changed to Yami after a glow from the Puzzle! _Better trust only Joey!_ She thought. "Let's focus on the duel, then the dilemma later!"

"I'm up, so I play Beaver Warrior!"

"And now, for using Polymerization by merging Labyrinth Wall with Shadow Ghoul!"After that, they saw a shadow moving through the labyrinth, surprising Beaver Warrior. "REAPING CLAW SLASH!"

Beaver Warrior got destroyed, and Yami's Life Points dropped to 1600, but something was up. "Wait a minute!" Joey called out. "The number of spaces was _way_ too far to even count!"

"Actually, the Wall Shadow never moved any space. It was moved on the wall, which doesn't have any spaces!"

 _This is terrible enough,_ Yami thought. _If their monster can move within the walls, then it can strike at least suspicions! But there's a catch with it, too. And now, it's Joey's turn!_

"I'll put that shadow to shame with Axe Raider and a card face down!"

"That's surprising, Joey, but a good one to! If our monsters are not near the wall, then what's the purpose of having sneak attacks?"

"Now it's my turn!" Dox said as he drew his card. "I play a card face down!" _The first monster,_ he thought, _to land on the symbol marking Jirai Gumo will fall victim to the fatal surprise it has in stock!_ "And I'm playing Labyrinth Tank in Attack Mode with a 7 space movement!"

"Now it's my turn!" Yami called out and drew her card, then played in. "Celtic Guardian in Attack Mode! And four spaces into the maze!"

Her elf came up and moved the designated spaces. "Nice try, but Wall Shadow will destroy it NOW!"

The shadow approached Celtic Guardian, but Yami just smirked. "You've left him wide open!"

Joey played his Trap. "Kunai With Chain!" A grappler appeared out of nowhere and snagged the Wall Shadow!

"What just happened?"

"Kunai With Chain prevents your monster from attacking! And my Axe Raider gets to reel him in! And not only that, the Attack Points increase to the Celtic Guardian, having reach to 1900, over Wall Shadow!"

"And now to destroy it!" Yami ordered her Celtic Guardian, which slashed Wall Shadow and destroying it.

"And no more surprises again!" Yami and Joey both said as Para's Life Points dropped to 1700.

 _And now,_ Joey thought, _to strengthen our monsters._ "Time for Flame Swordsman to drop some heat in Attack Mode!" His Swordsman showed up.

"And not only that, I'll move both him and Axe Raider four spaces!"

"LABYRINTH TANK, ADVANCE SEVEN MORE SPACES! And not only that, a trap is in place for your warriors, to."

"And it's my turn!" Yami called out. "I hope your Tank isn't too close because the Dark Magician has decided to join the fight!" She played it down. "A five space movement as defense, as well."

"Not any more to help you!" Para drew his card. "For Magical Labyrinth!"

The entire maze was shifted, separating Yami's monsters from Joey's and rearranging the shape.

"Our strategy is blown!" Joey drew his card, but kept calm because Yami insisted that he does. "Right! Axe Raider, Flame Swordsman, time to advance and regroup. Because the sooner we get to the end, the sooner we can end this!"

Axe Raider and Flame Swordsman moved towards the maze, but a trap has been activated! "No, Joey!"

"Now to activate Jirai Gumo for a trap because Axe Raider stepped on the symbol! And now he'll pay the price!" A giant spider came up and snagged Axe Raider, where Joey ordered it to fend it off. "Can't do anything because Jirai can reduce the Attack power back to the original!"

The spider snagged harder, destroying Axe Raider and lowering Joey's Life Points to 1600! "And not only that, I'll advance Labyrinth Tank another 7, bringing it within striking range of the Flame Swordsman! And I'll place a card in Defense Mode."

"Not going to tell us what it is?"

"You have enough to worry with Jirai Gumo and Labyrinth Tank in range of Flame Swordsman! And after that, _then_ you can worry about the other surprises hidden within the maze."

"But it's my turn now!" Yami said and drew her card, to which is a good thing for her and Joey. "I play Mystic Box with my Dark Magician!" The Dark Magician went inside a box and three doors closed, sealing anyone from seeing inside, then swords stabbed inside!

Another box appeared, but when the sword driven one opened, it revealed Jirai Gumo, and the Dark Magician exited from the other one!

"How can this be?!" The Paradox Brothers both exclaimed. "Your Dark Magician is unharmed!"

"The reason why," Yami explained, "is because the Dark Magician magically switched places with the spider, and ending a magic trick! But that's not it!

"Dark Magician, DARK MAGIC ATTACK ON THE LABYRINTH TANK!" The Dark Magician powered up his staff, then released it on the tank, destroying it and dropping Dox's Life Points to 1900!

"And together, we'll overcome _any and all_ obstacles you have to throw at us!"

"Everything, huh?" Para drew his next card, to see a surprise for Yume and Joey! "I'll lay a monster face down!"

"And now it's my turn, and I'll advance Flame Swordsman 5 spaces! Almost there, Yume!"

"My turn!" Dox drew his card. "Another monster face down. And I'll reveal a past monster, Dungeon Worm, from Defense to Attack and then power it up with Invigoration!"

Dungeon Worm showed up with ATK/DEF Points (Added effect of Invigoration) of 2200/1500. The worm then dug itself under the ground and then resurfaced, grabbing the Celtic Guardian and decreasing Yami's Life Points to 800!

"This has to be cheating, right Téa?" Tristan asked her.

"Yeah, this maze gives every single one of their monsters an advantage!"

"Because no one," Para explained, "has _ever_ escaped this labyrinth before."

"How will we do this, Yume?" Joey asked her.

"We'll do this in a different fashion!" Yami said as she placed a card down. "MAGICAL HATS, MATERIALIZE! Cover the Dark Magician and FLame Swordsman!"

"Nice one, Yume! A great one covering them."

"There's a catch, too!" Yami added. "You're worm has 2200 Attack Points with the Dark Magician at 2500! If the wrong hat is chosen with the Dark Magician, then the worm is destroyed."

"That plan will backfire!" Para said. "Because I can play Monster Tamer! Not only will I be able to call out orders for the monsters my brother controls, it'll also add 500 Attack Points to the Dungeon Worm, making him more powerful than the Dark Magician!"

The Dungeon Worm appeared and attacked an empty hat!

"My turn now, and I'll get this guy out! SALAMANDRA!" The Paradox Brothers were frightened. "You have to be scared because Salamandra will raise the Attack Points by the Flame Swordsman by 700! Not only that I'll use him to attack the hole made by your worm inside the empty hat! GO!"

A fire dragon made from Salamandra in the Flame Swordsman went inside the hole. "Not only that," Bakura added, "with the Worm having a weakness to Fire Attributes, the bonus is negated, having to attack a 2200 Attack Points monster, less than the Flame Swordsman!"

The Dungeon Worm raised up from the hole, engulfed in flames, before being destroyed and lowering Dox's Life Points to 1600!

Dox drew his next card, hoping for the element god, and got his luck! "Time to activate the trinity!" He placed it down. "Kazejin, God Of Wind!"

"Uh, Yume. I don't like this!"

"It's a trinity, but it matches the class of Exodia!"

The Paradox Brothers spoke in unison. "Elements of Thunder, Water, and Wind, Suijin, Sanga, Kazejin, BEGIN! Meld your powers in eternal light. Show these fools your UNSTOPPABLE MIGHT!"

After the unison, the three gods became Gate Guardian, with ATK/DEF Points of three separate gods: Thunder (2600/2200), Wind (2400/2200), and Water (2500/2400)!

"Three monsters worth of its strength!" Yami called out. "Three in one!"

"So you think it's unbeatable, huh?"

"You'll soon find out! And it's your turn, Yume!"

"I can't do anything!" Yami called out as she played two face downs. "Except for these two."

"A waste of a turn, because now the Flame Swordsman is now smoldered! THUNDER STROKE ATTACK!"

Gate Guardian started charging up its power, then released it on the Flame Swordsman, only to have it prevented thanks to Mirror Force that Yami played. "Say goodbye, because Gate Guardian conquers ALL!"

"Sorry, but not this turn!" Yami turned over a Trap. "Say hello to Mirror Force!" The attack broke the barrier, but aimed at the Gate Guardian instead.

"SQUALL BARRICADE FOR DEFENSE!" The attack connected to the defense, but it once again got redirected. "Now you failed!"

"I have another trick!" Yami reminded. "Even though you protected your guardian, what's protecting your Monster Tamer?"

The Brothers were surprised to see Monster Tamer take the blow, then vanished! "Destroying your own monster, the worst thing to ever happened!" Para's Life Points has been dropped to 900.

"Now for my turn!" Joey was about to draw his card, but Yami wanted him to wait a bit longer.

"Gate Guardian is created by three different monsters with different stats, so I realized a plan to wipe him out!"

"I hear you now! Flame Swordsman, SALAMANDRA STRIKE THE MID-SECTION" The dragon got reformed and started attacking the Wind Attribute, but the Water Attribute blocked it.

"When one section gets attacked, the others will block it! So you wasted a turn. TIDAL SURGE ATTACK!" The entire maze has gotten soaked, with the Dark Magician safe, but the Flame Swordsman unlucky, as Joey's Life Points dropped down to 1300. And the Paradox Brothers are also in for a surprise.

"You may have soaked the maze," Yami said. "But our spirits are still high in winning! Because I place a card face down and play Summoned Skull!"  
"The Swordsman did nothing!"

"Actually, Summoned Skull attacks by using lightning! And if Joey hadn't brought out his Flame Swordsman, this wouldn't have happened! Summoned Skull, LIGHTNING STRIKE!" Summoned Skull released a torrent of electricity, causing the attack to be guided by the water.

"Nice try, but the defense are being activated NOW!" But the Gate Guardian did nothing to protect itself. "Why is it not defending?"

"Simple!" Yami called out. "You drenched the entire maze, and not only that," she flipped a Trap, "the Spellbinding Circle was in with the hats!"

"NO! This can't be happening!"

"Not only that, but 700 Points weaker causes the Water Attribute to be a weak spot, so it's gone!" The electricity connected the Guardian and destroyed the Water Attribute, lowering Dox's Life Points to 900, matching his brother, Para! But the field no longer has Suijin's water anymore.

"No more of this!" Para said as he placed down a Magic Card. "Remove Trap!" Spellbinding Circle was destroyed.

"My turn now!" Joey drew his card, which turn his luck to the right side since his battle against Bonz! "Take this!" He placed the monster down. "Red Eyes Black Dragon!" His dragon showed up next to Yami's Summoned Skull.

"Now I activate my own magic!" Yami flipped a Magic Card. "POLYMERIZATION! I'll fuse Summoned Skull with Joey's Red Eyes to create the Red Eyes Black Skull Dragon!" With the dragon infused with the Summoned Skull, the new ATK/DEF Points is now 3200/2500.

The Paradox Brothers just laughed. "You are such a fool because this maze has one rule you may have forgotten: A NO FLY ZONE!"

"Great! My Red Eyes only moves by flight!"

"I have a plan all along, Joey!" Yami reassured him, but the Paradox Brothers are known not to be underestimated as Dox drew his card.

"Nice try, but I have Riryoku!"

"Riryoku?"

"A rare and powerful card, Joey!"

"And what it does," Dox explained, "is that it takes half the Life Points of my opponents and add them to one of my own creatures attack power." Yami's Life Points dropped to 400 while Joey's dropped to 650!

"Not only that," Para added, "but Gate Guardian is being strengthened by the lost Life Points!" The new ATK Points of the Gate Guardian is now under two Attributes: Thunder (3000) and Wind (3050)!

"You are also lucky that this card ends our turn immediately upon playing! But next turn, the powers will be used to win this in our favor!"

"Stay calm, Joey! My plan is still in effect!" Yami draws her card. "First off, my Dark Magician leaves the Magical Hat he's in and goes to the end of the maze, which is six spaces away!"

"What good would that do? You know our Gate Guardian will finish him off!"

"I'm getting to the point! Because the next card I'll play is Reborn The Monster!"

 _Nothing,_ Para thought, _will help them no matter what monster she revives!_ "ATTACK THE DARK MAGICIAN, GATE GUARDIAN!" Thunder started charging up the magic to release, then at full power, released it!

"You're forgetting that I haven't even picked one yet. TIDAL SHIELD, SUIJIN!" Right before the attack connected against the Dark Magician, a water shield appeared, blocking the attack! "This one was your own, because Reborn The Monster brings back _any_ monster that's in the Graveyard, including your own!"

"Try as you might, but it's Joey's turn right now!"

 _Okay now,_ Joey thought. _What can I do to turn this duel around and get their Guardian to fall?_ Joey drew his card, and a sinister smile showed on his face. "COPYCAT TIME! I'll use it as though I just played Riryoku!" Both Brothers lost half of their Life Points (450 each.) and powered up the Black Skull Dragon, raising the ATK Points to 4000!

"You wasted yet again! ATTACK SUIJIN USING THUNDER STOKE!"

"TIDAL SHIELD!" The attack hit the shield, defended for one attack.

"Nice try, but we'd known you'll defend. STRIKE AGAIN!" The attack came from the Thunder element, causing the Dark Magician to jump and avoid the blast! But the good thing is, Suijin was reborn in Defense Mode.

"Did you really think that you would win for a two on one elemental battle. You've lost this duel!"

"Not really, I stalled long enough for Joey to play Copycat because now I play-" Yami placed another Magic Card down, "-MONSTER REPLACE!"

"NO!" The Brothers shouted out as the Dark Magician and the Black Skull Dragon were switched.

"At first," Yami said, "I thought it would be piece by piece. But with our dragon powered up, we can destroy the whole thing with one, fatal blast! MOLTEN FIREBALL ATTACK NOW!" Black Skull Dragon charged up, and released two fireballs, one for each element, completely destroying Gate Guardian and dropping the Paradox Brothers to an equal zero at the same time!

After the duel, the Paradox Brother notified them that they still need to solve their riddle. They both said that they'll be giving a difficult time responding, so Yami came up with a plan!

Yami held up two coins, each with a symbol of the doors. "With these coins, we'll decide! I've marked a coin representing one of the doors, and the coin still clenched in my fist is the one we'll pick!"

Yami took some time, then revealed the mark of Dox's door.  
The Brothers laughed because they said that he had the right door, but Yami caught on. "Not quite because if we did, then Para's would be the right one!" The Brothers were shocked.

"You can change," Yami explained, "which door leads to which path, can't you, and making sure we choose wrong!" They were about to protest, but Yami stopped them. "You didn't see what our choice was." Yami revealed her other hand, which had the same markings. "So I guess we are on our way to Pegasus' castle because I inscribed a coin with two markings! One for each side, but different."

~Duelist Kingdom, Castle Dungeon~

"Why would you do this, Pegasus?" Seto demanded! "I can take you down as easily as I can for what you did to Mokuba!"

"Be careful how you choose your words, Kaiba boy!" Pegasus reminded. "Because in my dungeon, in my castle, in my realm, the only one here who makes threats is ME!" His Millennium Eye caused a bright flash, making the Kaiba brothers shield their eyes!  
When Seto looked around, he saw Mokuba down on the floor. "MOKUBA!" Pegasus laughed, then held up a card, which has a picture of Mokuba on it.

"What did you do to him, you monster?!"

"Just a little magic trick, Kaiba boy. I've only ensured the cooperation, so I've imprisoned Mokuba's soul is locked in a place where locks can't be picked! Where he'll stay until you can beat me in a duel. If you win, you'll have the privilege of dueling me. But fail, and Mokuba's soul is mine for keeps!" He tossed to Seto a Dueling Glove and five Star Chips.

* * *

a/n Out of everything I did, I think this may be the longest one I did, but there's still more to come, so stay tuned for another chapter of Daughter Of The Legendary Duelist!


	11. Rematch With Kaiba

Hey guys, I'm getting really confident in doing this, so my next chapter is in! Enjoy! You know the disclaimer.

* * *

With Yume and her friends out of the cave and into the light, they also noticed that they appeared right at the stairway to Pegasus' castle. And Yume and Joey have enough Star Chips to gain entrance!

Téa was also putting two and two together to realize that Yume isn't who she really expected to her. "Yume, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"What is it, Téa?"

"This is gonna be difficult, but is there any way you know what really happened to Yugi? Because I've realized you are a different person than I'd expected. I mean, sure you're a good duelist, but sometimes I keep thinking that you match his skills or something."

 _Shoot!_ Yume thought. _I can't let everyone know, or it'll be too late!_ "Téa, I'll tell you later, okay? The others are actually ahead of us!"

And it was the truth because while Téa and Yume have been talking, Tristan, Joey and Bakura were getting a head start. "Oh, right!"

But when they got up there, they saw Seto Kaiba up by the doors.

"Kaiba, please step aside," Yume asked politely. "I've won 10 Star Chips already."

"I'm sorry, Yume!" Kaiba said. "But I can't let you pass unless you duel me."

"Please, Kaiba! You know who this is for."

"I know some info about you, Yume! Something you never told me, and if you don't agree to duel, I'll let your friends know with a clue about the true you!"

Yume started to get a bit angry, but her jacket pocket glowed as she changed to Yami. "Kaiba," Yami called out. "I realize that you are blackmailing!"

"I bet you lost confidence, Yume, and the reason is either you lost Exodia. Or your 'Heart-of-the-cards' strategy never gets you to the end."

"That's enough, Kaiba! Name the place because I accept! I'll see how much you've changed."

Seto smiled. "The field is actually picked, so just follow me!"

~Duelist Kingdom Castle, Annex Roof~

Seto and Yami are ready for a duel against each other, with five Star Chips each on the line! And using the dual-disk system they each have that Seto made himself.

"Get ready, Yume!" Seto said as he tossed his duel-disk. "Because I play Ryu-Kishin in Attack Mode!" His monster showed up and roared, and four cards appeared in front of him.

Yami tossed her's, summoning Curse Of Dragons in Attack Mode (Which let out a screech.), and four cards appeared on her side. "I'm surprised, Yume! NOT! I knew you'd try something like that. But apparently, you're not as good as I am. And just one of us will be able to challenge Pegasus and that person will be me! And if you don't believe me, then attack right now!"

"You'll see from your mistake soon enough. CURSE OF DRAGONS, DESTROY RYU-KISHIN WITH DRAGON FLAME!" Curse Of Dragons let out a screech before letting out its fiery breath on Seto's monster, smoldering it into ash. "There he goes!" And Seto's Life Points dropped to 1600.

Seto recalled his duel-disk. "Well played, Yume! But I knew you would attack, so you fell into my trap yet again!"

He drew his card, then tossed his duel-disk. "SWORDSTALKER!" His monster showed up and let out a roar. "The Attack Points of his fallen allies gets added on by 20%!" Swordstalker's added ATK Points becomes a total of 2400.

 _I guess,_ Yami thought, _that's the reason why he wanted his monster to fall in the first place! So he would create an even powerful monster._

"Now ATTACK SWORDSTALKER, WITH VENGEANCE STRIKE!" His Swordstalker slashed at Curse Of Dragons, but Curse Of Dragons disappeared right before the attack connected, making Swordstalker miss. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"I used a Monster Replace card that I had, so I can choose a new monster with the highest Attack Points, so guess what? The Dark Magician now enters the field in replace of my Curse Of Dragons! DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" The Dark Magician powered up, then released his energy on Seto's Swordstalker, destroying it and dropping his Life Points by another 100!

"And now, I'll bring back Curse of Dragons due to Monster Replace. And then it's your turn!"

Seto recalled his duel-disk and drew his card. "I'll fight magic with magic by using LA JINN, THE MYSTICAL GENIE OF THE LAMP!" His genie showed up. "His wish is my command!"

"DARK MAGICIAN, ATTACK!" The Dark Magician started charging up, but Seto had other plans.

"You activated my Trap, Yume!" He revealed it by flipping it around. "THE ANCIENT LAMP! First it'll protect my genie!" His genie went inside the lamp, but what surprised Yami the most is the next thing that happened when the Dark Magician released his power on the lamp. "Next it'll deflect on your Curse Of Dragon!" Her dragon got destroyed, and her Life Points dropped to equal Seto's.

Yami had her duel-disk called back, but she replaced a card with it and tossed it back, confident in winning. "You may have deflected the attack, but the Dark Magician still lives on! And with the scores tied, you really have changed!"

 _Doesn't matter anyway,_ Seto thought, _all this is a ruse to distract her long enough for me to play an ultimate monster that would require all 3 of my Blue Eyes! I would be creating that difficult Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!_

Seto recalled his duel-disk and drew his card. "Are you worried now that without Exodia, you think you won't win?"

"I beat you before, and I'll do it again!"

"Maybe you won't because I combine the powers of the De-Spell card with my genie!" His genie powered his hands ready, and let out a blast, removing Swords of Revealing Light! "And without that Magic card, you'll lose three turns sooner!"

Yami recalled her duel-disk. "That doesn't mean I'll still go easy on you Kaiba!" She drew her next card: Mystic Box. _This should do the trick!_ "I recall the Dark Magician!" She tossed the duel-disk to return the Dark Magician.

"You'd be surprised by what I have in store for you!"

"And I have a surprise of my own." Yami called out as her Trap card is flipped. "BEHOLD THE MAGIC EYE OF TRUTH! It will allow me to see the current cards you have on the field!" His hand is flipped, revealing De-Spell, Saggi The Dark Clown, Ancient Lamp, and the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

 _Why hasn't he played his Blue Eyes yet?_ Yami thought. _He would've as soon as he did so, but why didn't he?_

 _Yume Muto,_ Kaiba thought, _may have seen_ _this_ _Blue Eyes, but with two more and Polymerization will create the Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon and eliminate her!_ "And even though," Kaiba added, "Magic Eye Of Truth lets you peek at my hand, but what's good about it for you? There's nothing that you're Dark Magician can do against my genie, considering the fact that Ancient Lamp will protect him against _every_ attack thrown at him!"

"I'm getting rid of it first!" Yami cried out as another card was flipped and revealed. "MYSTIC BOX!"

A box surrounded the Dark Magician. "Watch closely, Kaiba, as my Magician goes inside the box and then SKEWERED!" Swords struck the box. "But did I really destroy the Dark Magician?" The three doors of the box opened. "Or maybe I hit the Ancient Lamp like I said! And with the magic half done, my Dark Magician jumps out of a different box unhindered!"

"How is it even possible?"

"Everyone knows that a true magician would _never_ reveal their secrets! Now, DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" Dark Magician instantly destroyed La Jinn, dropping Seto's Life Points to 800!

"Not my genie!"

"Your lamp protected La Jinn, but once destroyed, he was no match for my Dark Magician!"

"That magic show may have been entertaining, but let's not lose perspective!" He recalled his duel-disk. "You know I have a Blue Eyes and you can do nothing about it!"

"The Eye Of Truth lets me see your hand, but not the other way around!"

"Doesn't need to happen, Yume, but a lesson needs to be taught." He tossed his duel-disk. "GO, SAGGI IN DEFENSE MODE!"

 _He knows the results, but I was expecting him to play his Blue Eyes! I'd better play it safe._ Yami recalled her duel-disk, then switched it around. "GO, GAIA THE FIERCE KNIGHT!" Her knight appeared and started charging on Saggi, destroying it to pieces, but with a heavy cost!

"Destroyed and sacrificed are two _very_ different things, Yume! Just take a look." Instead, Gaia is starting to look like it's getting hacked, but apparently got destroyed along with her Dark Magician.

"What's going on, Kaiba?!"

"I knew you wouldn't resist attacking Saggi, so I inflicted him with the Crush Card Virus Trap. And by destroying him while infected, you released the virus, which in turn infects all monsters with 1500 Attack Points or higher and destroys them! It seems I've broken your strategy, Yume. Just admit defeat!"

"Smart move, Kaiba. But a virus will not have me begging on my knees just yet! I'm afraid you'll have to play better than that!"

"I'd like to see how it will work, Yume, because it's your turn!"

She recalled her duel-disk. "Even though you infected my deck, the heart of the cards will help me get through this contamination!" She drew her card, which would be affected by the virus: Summoned Skull. _This is tougher than I expected, so I'd better keep going and bring the defenses up._ "SILVER FANG, DEFENSE MODE! With 1200 and viral immunity. Your turn."

"It's a little ironic to know that a wolf would be a sacrificial lamb!" Seto drew his next card: another Blue Eyes White Dragon. _Just one left and then Polymerization, and then it's complete victory for me!_

Seto played an attack. "Battle Ox, awaken and let loose the dogs of war with AXE SLAM-ATTACK!" Seto's monster charged at Silver Fang, destroying it, but with Yami's Life Points saved. "Nothing will stop you from attacking my Battle Ox because of the virus that's implanted in your duel-disk! How will you be able to win now? We'll find out soon!" He started laughing.

 _How am I able to defeat him if the virus is implamented? There just_ _has_ _to be a way!_ Yami recalled her duel-disk, then tossed it after drawing her card. "GRIFFORE!"

"Hmm, you did a miscalculation, Yume, because my Batlle Ox can easily defeat it."

"Not unless I can equip with Horn Of The Unicorn! MAGIC LIGHTNING, COMBO ATTACK!" Energy from the unicorn horn was released and struck the Battle Ox, destroying it and dropping Seto's Life Points to 600.

"That was an impressive move to surpass the virus!" Seto recalled his duel-disk. "But there are different hazards in my deck that are simply inevitable. And it's my turn!" He drew his third Blue Eyes! _Now, for the ultimate beast, but first, I need Polymerization!_ He tossed his duel-disk. "Get ready, because I invoke the Mystical Elf! If there's anything I've learned from my matches with you, you have an uncanny ability for a victory when really close to defeat. But you won't get that opportunity because the Mystical Elf reinforced my Life Points to an increase of 300, bringing it to 900 total!"

 _This is unlike Kaiba since my last duel with him!_ Yami thought. _He's dueling more methodically. The moves he plays are precise to him, with nothing to chance! Like a life or death battle._

"It's time, Yume!" He tossed the duel-disk after retracing it. "Time I play THE BLUE EYES WHITE DRAGON! And now your fate belongs to me! TAKE FLIGHT, MY BLUE EYES!" His dragon roared before taking flight. "WHITE LIGHTNING ATTACK!" Blue Eyes charged up its attack, and released it, destroying Yami's monster and dropping her Life Points to 400!

"This is just the beginning, Yume. You'll really know what fear is soon enough."

Yami recalled her duel-disk and draw her card. "Giant Soldier Of Stone! He'll guard my Life Points while I figure out a way to beat your Blue Eyes!"

"You're mistaken, Yume!" Seto drew his next card: Polymerization! "When you battled my Blue Eyes before, there was three different ones! Formidable, but not invincible!" Seto recalled his duel-disk and rearranged it so he'd summon the ultimate dragon! "But I figured out how to merge their powers into one, combining them to create an ultimate creature!" He tossed his duel-disk, where two Blue Eyes and a Polymerization were in it.

"A monster with power beyond imagining! And I'm creating a Duel Monster without peer with an attack force so great that no monster can stand against him!" A huge, white dragon with three heads, each having blue eyes, appeared. "MEET THE BLUE EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON!"

 _Now,_ _that's_ _the reason why he didn't play his Blue Eyes in the first place! He wanted to create that monster all along._

"There's no escape, Yume Orskov!" Seto laughed. "Nothing will save you!" (ATK/DEF Points of the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon: 4500/3800.)

 _This is the most tightest spot I've ever been in!_ Yami thought. _Crush virus, holding his Blue Eyes, 400 Life Points remaining,_ _and_ _facing the most powerful monster I ever faced! There has to be a way through it!_

"Now, this is most interesting, Yume!" Seto said. "The moment I've been waiting for since my only defeat. BLUE EYES ULTIMATE WHITE DRAGON, NEUTRON BLAST ATTACK!" His ultimate dragon started charging up, then released three blasts into one merge, over killing the Stone Soldier! "You're finished, Yume! Admit defeat, and maybe I'll go a bit easier on you."

Yami was about to draw her card, but doubts have been hitting her ever since and her jacket pocket is not glowing like it should've been!

~Shadow Realm~

Yugi tried to call on Yume, but he felt a presence that's been preventing him from doing so.

"Yugi!" Dark Magician Girl called out. "Something is wrong! We can't bring Yume's mind here!"

"I know! I've been trying, but it's not working! Someone must be disturbing our calls."

"But I wonder who? Yugi, I'm afraid that without our support, Yume would lose! Or worse..."

"There is a chance Yume can pull through, but I'm not sure of the outcome, though. It could match how I dueled Kaiba before!"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive! But it seems that Yume has to rely on her friends on this duel!"

~Pegasus' Castle, Yume VS Kaiba~

Yami can hear the messages Yugi and Dark Magician Girl are trying to send, and regained confidence and about to draw her card! "I'm never surrendering!"

"That's the kind of determination I expect from you! I'd prefer to take you down at your hardest! We'll see what fate has in stock for you!"

 _It all depends on this last card on whether or not it's something I really need! Heart of the cards, don't fail me NOW!_ She drew her card.

"It doesn't matter what card you draw," Seto said, "because my Ultimate Dragon will destroy every single one of them until you run out!"

Yami looked at her drawn card, and was surprised, then started laughing! "Kaiba," she explained, "this one will help me no matter how tough your dragon is!" She recalled her duel-disk, placed the card down, then tossed it. "And now, for KURIBOH IN ATTACK MODE!" A Kuriboh showed up and warbled.

"You've lost your mind because Kuriboh is known as the weakest monster in Duel Monsters history! I mean, you _are_ free to concede and forfiet the match, but playing that fur ball? No duelist would _ever_ have a card like that in their decks as far as I knew! And that little fur ball won't help you!"

"Kaiba, once again, you've misjudged a card! Because I play THIS-" One of her Magic cards was flipped and revealed. "-MULTIPLY! Any monster with 500 or lower Attack power will be reproduced faster than you might think! Is that too much?" Her Kuriboh started multiplying in a fast rate, until a wall of Kuriboh's are in front of her. "And to win this duel, you'll have to break this barrier first!"

"I believe you forgot the assault power of my Ultimate Dragon! I'll show you. NEUTRON BLAST!" After the release in power, some Kuriboh's were defeated, but more replaced the fallen ones!

"My Life Points are still safe, Kaiba, because you have to destroy every single one of them, to finish this duel! But while you destroy some, more are taking the places of the fallen ones!"

"That's just great! Destroy one, and 2 take its place!"

"Of course, Kaiba. You may have created an ultimate monster, but I found the neverending defense: An ever-expanding army of furry protectors! Even though one looks useless, but with many, it's impossible to break through! Now for the attack!"

"You can't play monsters as powerful as my dragon because of the virus!"

"Who said I was attacking directly?" She revealed three cards by flipping them. "By using the combination of Mammoth Graveyard, Polymerization and the Living Arrow!"

"What does Living Arrow do, anyway?"

"Living Arrow allows me," Yami explained, "to use my other cards in combination not with my own, but _your_ monsters! And I would do a fusion with my own cards, but a I'm added a new twist. One that the Living Arrow would be used so I can fuse my cards with yours with new possibilities!" Her Mammoth Graveyard shows up.

"What's going to happen now, Yume?"

"What'll happen is that Mammoth Graveyard will have the ability of the Living Arrow to bond it with the heart of your beast, the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" Mammoth Graveyard turned into an arrow and struck the heart of the Ultimate Dragon, placing a head of the Mammoth showing!

"What are you doing to my dragon?!"

"Because Mammoth Graveyard is an undead-type monster, he can't properly fuse with your dragon, but the catch is that he'll rot and decay your dragon inside out! Your dragon will constantly lose Attack Points every turn until it is no more! And this time, I got you!"

"There _has_ to be something I can do to save my Ultimate Dragon!"

"With Mammoth Graveyard having 1200 Attack Points, so every turn that goes by and I'm still standing with Life Points remaining, your Ultimate Dragon will lose that many Attack Points! And it'll be destroyed in a matter of turns!"

"Give up, Kaiba!" Joey called out as he passed his turn, his Ultimate Dragon's ATK Points dropped to 3300. "No matter what you do, you'll never win! Are three heads _really_ better than one?"

 _Mokuba's soul is going to be lost forever if I lose!_ Seto thought. _I have to figure out a plan to win this and FAST!_ "ATTACK!" His Ultimate Dragon used Neutron Blast to eliminate the Kuriboh wall, but it wasn't enough as Yami was still standing with her 400 Life Points! And the Kuriboh's are still multiplying.

"Drawing me next card and my Mammoth will finish my turn!" His Ultimate Dragon's ATK Points dropped to 2100.

 _One more turn,_ Seto thought, _and then my Ultimate Dragon can be defeated by her! There's gotta be a way to save my dragon!_ "ATTACK AGAIN, ULTIMATE DRAGON!" Another Neutron Blast, yet Yami is just standing there as more Kuriboh's multiplied to recover ones that lost!

"You're running out of time, Kaiba, with another fail to pierce my defenses! And with no other strategy's to defeat me, you're lost! Your dragon loses another 1200 because of my Mammoth Graveyard!" Dropped to 900. "And now I can finish it with monsters that can withstand the virus!"

Seto just stood there, looking paralyzed! He knew he failed because his dragon can be destroyed by Yami's weak monsters. He then regained focus, but looked at his deck. _Hasn't said a word since,_ Yami thought. _Like he's in another world! And with no matter what card I can draw, I can defeat it with any monster in my deck!_ She drew her card: Celtic Guardian!

She withdrew her Duel-disk, placed the card down. "Time to meet you demise, Kaiba!" She tossed. "Meet the Celtic Guardian!" Her elf showed up. "ATTACK THE ULTIMATE DRAGON!" Her elf charged after it and sliced a head off, but still standing.

"Wait a minute!" Joey called out. "How come the dragon's still standing?"

"Because," Bakura said, "it's a fusion of three different Blue Eyes! All three heads have different Attack Points and one was destroyed by the Celtic Guardian, and Kaiba would lose the difference!" His Life Points dropped from 900 to 400.

 _And if another weakened head is destroyed, this duel would be mine!_ Yami thought.

"Yume!" Seto called out. "I can't let you win, not like this! If I don't defeat you, than Pegasus would keep Mokuba's soul for all eternity. Even if I don't have a card to attack you with, but this bit would stop you in your track! By forcing this win on me." He started to step back.

"More like retreating," Joey said, but Seto stopped at the edge.

"Kaiba, what's your problem?!"

"I'm just going to stay here. You can attack whenever you want, but remember that as soon as your attack connects on a weakened head, but I might lose balance due to the shock wave! Which leaves my fate in your hands!"

"Don't push this, Kaiba! I _have_ to rescue Mr. Muto!"

"And _I_ have to rescue Mokuba to win. Except I'm going to risk everything I'm willing to go through to win this. Either I'll stand here all day, or you won't attack for fear of knocking me down! And by not attacking, that old man is the one person you couldn't get to, giving me the advantage."

Seto drew his next card: Reborn The Monster! "And I can activate this one!" Seto said and recalled his duel-disk, placed the card down, then tossed it. "REBORN THE MONSTER!" A head of a fallen Blue Eyes reappeared, all fresh and with 3000 ATK Points. "I'll attack your Celtic Guardian on my next turn. With two heads weakened, but I can destroy your elf with the fresh one, and with Life Points equal at 400. Make your attack, or let me win."

"I'VE NEVER BACK AWAY FROM A DUEL, KAIBA!" Yami shouted. "AND I DON'T INTEND TO, EITHER! CELTIC GUARDIAN, END THIS NOW!" Her elf started charging.

~Shadow Realm~

Yugi tried all her best to force Yume into knowing what she's doing as he noticed that her duel with Kaiba is at the most risk, but it was all the trouble for nothing. "Yugi!" He turned to see the Pharaoh and Dark Magician Girl.

"Yume would be sacrificing Kaiba's life just to rescue grandpa again!"

"We know!" Pharaoh told him. "I'm thinking if we all work together, we could pierce what's blocking us from her and send the message to her."

"It's worth a shot, Pharaoh." Dark Magician Girl said as they got ready to send the message.

~Duelist Kingdom Castle, Kaiba VS Yami~

Celtic Guardian was charging towards the Ultimate Dragon, but Yami heard three voices being spoken at the same time. "Look what's happening, Yume! FOCUS because this isn't like you! You need to stop this attack NOW!"

 _What's happening?!_ Yami thought as the Puzzle glowed in her pocket.

 _'I'm sorry!'_ Yume thought as they switched. ' _But I can't let you do this! It's too risky!'_ Yami returned to being Yume And she got down on her knees. "STOP!" Yume yelled out to her Celtic Guardian.

Celtic Guardian was charging at full speed but, due to his mistress calling out, he slowed down and eventually stopped and lowering his sword down, and wide open for an attack from the fresh Blue Eyes, but which Seto didn't hesitate. "ATTACK NOW WITH WHITE LIGHTNING!" Seto shouted and destroyed Celtic Guardian, wiping out the rest of Yume's Life Points as her friends gathered around her.

* * *

a/n With this duel, Yume is traumatized because the other presence, Yami, would do anything to win, even hurting someone! I just hope she pulls through.

What? Oh! Anyway, I'm skipping the duel between Téa and Mai, and fast forward to Mai versus Yume next time! (Téa won against Mai and regained the Star Chips that Yume needs to enter, but Mai could enter in either way.)


	12. Start Of The Quads

I'm also forgetting this! I'm also skipping the duel between Seto and Pegasus (Seto lost the duel _and_ his soul.). So I can get the good moments!

If you feel like Seto needs to face Pegasus in my story, please leave a review saying so, and if a target number is hit, I'll do it! Plus, there might be a chapter or two that DOESN'T involve dueling, but introductory chapters so you'd get the better picture.

I OWN NOTHING WHATSOEVER! The only thing I own is my character, Yume.

Morning came to Duelist Kingdom and Yume was in the castle with her friends, but is having doubts of dueling again. But she needs to push on to save the soul of her great-grandpa!

Her father, Yugi, also told her that he was in the same situation, but needed to trust the presence inside the Puzzle. Yume, of course, countered it by saying that Seto almost got killed by the presence, saying that the presence would do _anything_ to win!

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. When she opened it, she saw Tristan, Téa, Joey, and Bakura. "How's it going, Yume?" Téa asked her.

"Hey, guys." She said. "How're you doing?"

"We're doing okay. But you'll be late for your duel against Mai."

(a/n The pairings for this round are Yume vs Mai and Joey vs Bandit Keith.)

"You'll be disqualified," Joey added, "if you are even one second late!"

"Just need a bit more time, guys! I'll be there." Yume told them, and then they left. Yume got dressed, then head to the dueling arena, where she saw Mai and Keith.

"How're you doing, Yume? I thought you would do a no show."

 _For someone's soul at stake, I_ _have_ _to!_ She thought. "I'll be alright, Mai." She told her before an announcement happened to a golden statue of a pegasus.

"The tournament playoffs will now begin! All finalists head to the arena!" The door opened, revealing a dueling platform. Yume took one and Mai took the other as Pegasus came out, being announced as the host.

"Yume," he started, "Joey, Mai, and Bandit Keith. I welcome you all to the playoff arena. This place will be used for the last great Duel Monsters duels shall be waged to determine the championship of the Duelist Kingdom! But the catch is that only one of you will be the victor of this here tournament with the $3 million prize!

"And not only that, but a right to challenge me, and if you win, you get one request, whatever their heart most desires! And if my power is within that request, then it'll surely come true. Not only that, but also earn the title of Duelist Kingdom Champion, ranked No. 1 in the world!

"And any duelist who made it this far would realize that the title, not the money, is the true prize. Who would want to be ranked as top duelist in the world? Some of you want the cash, some want the fame, and the only way to settle this is to duel! So, let's begin! Our first match is between Yume and Mai, so let's begin!"

 _I'll also,_ he thought, _be keeping an eye out for cheaters! If anyone cheats, they are automatically disqualified, even if they win!_

 _I have to win this,_ Yume thought. _For my great grandfather, Solomon, and the Kaiba brothers! It's time to pay, Pegasus!_

"DUEL!" Mai and Yume shouted as the 2000 Life Point count is set as they drew their hand. Yume showed a blank card and Mai showed a prize card for qualification as Yume's friends cheered her on to win.

"It's time," Mai said. "And no tricks! I play Harpie Lady in Attack Mode." Her first played monster showed up, with ATK/DEF Points of 1300/1400. "Your move after a face down."

Yume draws her card. "And I play Gaia. ATTACK!" Her knight charged after, but Mai played her Trap card, which is Mirror Wall, and Gaia's ATK were cut in half from 2300 to 1150.

"You activated Mirror Wall, Yume!" Mai explained. "All monsters you attack will have their Attack Points cut in half! And now it's my turn, so I play Cyber Shield on my Harpie Lady." Her griffin human, having a raised ATK Points to 1800. "Now ATTACK WITH CYBER SLASH!" Her monster slashed Gaia with her claws, destroying him and dropping Yume's Life Points to 1350.

"I can't believe Mirror Wall can drop the Attack Points of my monsters, making me easier to be defeated!"

"To which I'm surprised!" Mai called out. "Are you already losing your edge on this tournament?" _Because of what the presence almost did to Kaiba!_ Yume thought. "Because I'm thinking that you're starting to hold back!"

She drew her next card: Summoned Skull. _The quicker I beat Mai, the quicker I can worry less about the presence inside the Puzzle._ Yume placed one card down and played her monster. "I lay a card face down and play Summoned Skull for an attack! LIGHTNING STRIKE!"

Her monster showed up and charged its electrical attack, but a wall of mirrors showed up before Summoned Skull launched an attack, cutting the ATK Points in half to 1250. "Mirror Wall again?!"

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed yet, Yume." Mai exclaimed as Yume gasped. "A _permanent_ trap?!"

"Two turns late, and you may have already lost this duel. You need to show me what you got still!"

"All trap cards I've encountered before would disappear after being sprung, so your trap took me by surprise. An exception to something I encountered!"

"The effect will continue on every time you attack as long as it's on the field. No matter what happens, your monsters will never pierce it, meaning my monsters will be safe! Just remember that you'll have to do your best to keep me interested!"

"Yume's strategy is different," Joey said. "Attacking all the time isn't the way to go! She would see through the cards like I was taught!"

' _Yume,'_ Yami called out in her head. ' _Come on. If you want to win, let me help you!'_

' _I'm sorry, but I can't!'_ Yume countered. _'It'll be too much of a risk. I can't let you hurt Mai.'_ "Yume," Mai called out to her and she looked up. "What's wrong with you? I've known about the duels you faced and expected that much pride, but this is lame, using a frontal assault!"

Yume growled softly. "And the only reason I duel," Mai confessed, "aside from island trips, cars, clothes, and the prize money is the thrill of battling an opponent dueling their hardest!"

"So, you're saying I'm not worthy? Is that it?!"

"Believe me, kid. I'd say that your body is here, but your head and heart have split for parts unknown. A complete letdown!"

"So, my fighting spirit is questioned as well?" Yume asked uncertain.

"From what I can tell, you're still shell-shocked from your last duel against Kaiba. He may have did something to traumatize you." She gasped. "Now what I want," Mai added, "is for you to fight your hardest because I want you to get over it. I'm your opponent this time!"

"What do you mean, Mai?"

"I'm saying that I'd rather face you at your hardest, and not a duelist who hides in the shadows, afraid of something that'll go wrong! Shape up, get your gear in act, or you'll be eliminated, Yume!"

"You wouldn't understand, Mai!" Yume said quietly. "It's not about Kaiba. But I can't let you win, either."

"Really, Yume? I want you to know. The way you've been playing, I don't think you can stop me! I'm giving you an honorable duel, and I expected you to do the same. Now, will you duel with all you've got now? Or will you still back down?"

"This is tough," Tristan called out. "Mai's making this more difficult for Yume! Did she _really_ need to brag about this?"

"Yume!" Joey called to her. "She could be trying to psyche you out! Just ignore her!"

"Wait, you guys." Téa said to them. "Mai promised Yume an honorable duel, didn't she? I bet she's going to break Yume out of her trauma from her last duel!"

"I'm giving all I can! Make your move, Mai!"

 _Possibly,_ Mai thought, _I could be doing too much of this. She'd better lighten up, or this duel is no fun at all!_ She drew her next card, but noticed that Yume has a card face down.

"I'm not attacking, Yume! But I _am_ using Harpy's Feather Duster, sweeping away your trap card!" Her Harpy Lady had a different form of wings and destroyed her Spellbinding Circle! Yume complimented on her getting rid of it first. "Thanks, Yume. But keep your eyes on me, because I could teach you a thing or two."

 _I have to alter me strategy in order to get through Mai's Mirror Wall Trap if I'm going to win!_ She switched Summoned Skull. "Summoned Skull to Defense." She placed another monster in the same manner. "Ending by adding Feral Imp in Defense, as well!"

"I've got you because of my Mirror Wall, so now it's my turn!" Mai drew her next card. "Time for Rose Whip!" Her Harpy Lady got an added boost to 2400 ATK Points.

 _Hiding behind the Mirror Wall while powering up her Harpie Lady!_ Yume thought. _Pretty soon, she'll use Elegant Egotist._

' _Then let me help you, Yume!'_ Yami said in her head. _'I can help you win!'_

' _I still don't know whether to trust you or not. But I feel like I can't!'_

"Time for your Feral Imp to feel the stinging pain now!" Mai announced as she ordered her monster to attack the Feral Imp, destroying it using a whiplash!

 _How can I turn this duel around?_ Yume thought.

' _Can you please let me help you, Yume?'_ Yami said to her. "I don't think," Mai said, driving Yume out of her thought, "you really _are_ trying your best, Yume." She drew her next card. "And now this monster will bring the biggest surprise ever! The servant of Harpie Lady!"

She played it down, and a huge dragon appeared with a burst of flames and let out a roar! _What_ _is_ _that?!_ Yume thought. "Behold!" Mai announced. "The Harpie's Pet Dragon! Not only he's powerful, but he gets a boost of 300 when he's near his master!" (Power Increase: 2300 ATK.)

"Now, BLAST THAT SKULL TO ASHES! FEARSOME FIRE BREATH!" Her dragon charged up, and let out a fire blast, destroying Summoned Skull, but Yume's Life Points were safe! "My Summoned Skull!"

"I keep telling you, Yume, if you want to beat me, then try your best and concentrate! I mean, there's got to be a way why you're playing poorly. I'm close to winning, but you're not even putting up a fight! There's a limited distance to go. I remember being asked an important question by Joey: Why am I dueling?

"I gave him a frivolous answer, but I was honest! Let me ask you this question, Yume! Why are you here in the Duelist Kingdom Castle in the first place? Can you tell me?"

Yume doesn't want anyone to know about this, so she decides to be honest and truthful. "I'm dueling," she confessed, "for my great-grandfather, Mai."

"Hey, Joey," Tristan asked him. "What's she's talking about?"

"She'll tell you when she's ready, Tristan, but not now!" He then turned to Mai. "Listen, Mai, this is the first time Yume answered why she was here, and it kinda matches mine!"

"I know, Joey! But remember that your reasons are unselfish. I'm trying to be serious!" Joey was about to complain against her, but she still continued.

 _S-She's right!_ Yume thought. _I can't be distracted in this duel!_

' _So,'_ Yami said to her, ' _now will you let me help you?'_

' _Not yet! Let me try one more thing.'_ She drew her next card: Dark Magician! _'If only I could attack, but I guess I'll try Trap for Trap!'_ "One card face down, and then Dark Magician in Defense Mode! Make your move!"

Mai drew her next card. "This next one will provide you useless as I play Shadow Of Eyes!" Yume was a bit confused and asked what it does. "A demonstration would be better, but I know you won't like it!" Her Dark Magician was forced in Attack Mode and prepared for an attack. "How is this possible?!" Yume asked her in surprise.

"It's the power of the Trap!" Mai explained. "It exudes an irresistible force that can lure even the mightiest of monsters into battle! And now, he'll be forced to attack my Harpie Lady!" The Dark Magician attacked, but the Mirror Wall prevented that and dropped his ATK Points in half! (1250.)

"And I know that's another Trap card! That's why I have a second Harpie's Feather Duster!" Her Mirror Force was gone. "And now, my dragon, FEARSOME FIRE BLAST ON THE DARK MAGICIAN!" Her dragon did that, dropping Yume's Life Points to 300 while Mai's was untouched this whole duel!

"Please, Yume, what will you do now without the Dark Magician?" _I have to win!_ Yume thought. _There's just gotta be a way!_

' _Yume',_ Yami called out to her, _'_ _please_ _let me help you! If you don't and hold back, not only will you lose your chance of rescuing the Kaiba Brothers' souls, but also your great-grandfather! And everyone will lose! Your parents are counting on you, also!_

' _They also told me in advance that if you lose even just one duel, be it on purpose, then you will go back to the Shadow Realm! And then this time, you'll never leave that place again, trapped there for all eternity, and that would mean that you let your parents down, too!'_

' _I'm sorry! I don't trust you enough! I wouldn't forgive you with what you happened to Kaiba!'_ "Yume!" Tristan called out. "You're going down, but you need to get right back up!" He turned to Téa. "What's going on with her?"

"It's Mai. She's gone and put aside all of her card tricks and played this duel flawlessly! Yume seemed much better, but this ridiculous!"

"Could it be luck that I beat Mai?" Joey asked, and Mai turned to them. "Joey to let you know, it wasn't luck when you beat me. It was because you knew something that I didn't. I learned more from duel than any other I played."

"What're you talking about?"

"I learned a lesson from you that day that I never really wanted to know. I didn't know it then, but it changed me and the way I looked at dueling. I took a hard look at myself and admit the reason I relied on tricks is that was because I was afraid."

Yume looked up at her. "Afraid," she continued, "to trust in my own abilities and trusting myself! Like you trusted in yourself, Joey."

"Mai," Yume said, "you really _have_ changed!"

"Now what I want to ask you, Joey," Mai said to him, "is how you _really_ made it all the way here to the finals?"

"That one's an easy one, Mai!" Joey exclaimed. "The reason I got this far is because I have my friends who'll support me: Yume, Tristan, Téa, and Bakura behind me! Yugi, though, it's been so long since I last saw him, but that doesn't mean I don't have faith in finding him again! And my friends have been cheering on and telling me to go the whole way!"

"Too true, Joey." Mai said. "Not only that, you also had the guts to look inside and face up to what you saw there. You looked at the demons in the eye and dealt with them, coming up top! A lesson everyone should learn."

Yume finally realized what Mai is saying and gasped lightly! "And Joey," Mai continued, "in that duel, you taught me that a duelists learns more from defeats than victories! You also taught me to face up to my fears, and _not_ bottle them up."

Now Yume realized that what Mai said was the same way that her father told her! _Accept your fears and face them head on!_ She thought. _Father always said_ _that_ _whenever I get scared as a kid!_

"Yume," Mai said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Are you ready now to face your fears? Because if so, then I'm ready to face you with everything you've got! Since that battle with Kaiba, you've been freaking out a little, so are you still holding a grudge against that?"

 _I don't believe this,_ she thought as her duel with Kaiba brought back as a flashback. _He was willing to risk everything to win the duel, even sacrifice his life! But the spirit inside the Puzzle was willing to go all in._

 _If I_ _did_ _attack, Kaiba may have been seriously hurt, even dead! So I prevented that, even if that means I may not get another chance in rescuing Father! No matter what happens, hurting someone is not the way to go to win this!_

' _I have a preposition, Yume!'_ Yami said in her mind calmly. _'If you can let me help you, I vow to never go against your wishes.'_

' _But how can I believe you, spirit?'_ Yume asked her.

' _Because,'_ she explained, _'your parents urged you to trust in the power of the Millennium Item, isn't that right?'_

' _I,'_ Yume started doubtfully, but then stopped the doubt. _'You're right! I'll see the outcome of this duel!'_ Her Puzzle glowed as she changed to Yami.

"Mai," Yami said to her, "Thank you for reminding me that a true duelist faces their problems head on. You were right about me holding back, but no more of that!" Yami drew her card: Brain Control. "I play the Magic card, Brain Control!"

She placed it down. "And with it, I can brainwash an enemy monster and control it for one turn! Because I'm controlling Harpie's Pet Dragon!" Mai's dragon roared as brain waves was reaching it, having Yami in control of it.

"Nice try, Yume, but Harpie's Pet Dragon will _never_ turn on it's master. A mistake that makes you lose this duel!"

Yami gasped, but then smiled. "I knew that, but I never planned on attacking!" She placed two cards down. "First, I play a face down, then Catapult Turtle!" Her mechanic turtle showed up. "Now to place the Pet Dragon on in Attack Mode!" The dragon went on the launcher of the turtle and was adjusted.

"And since," she added as Mirror Wall protected the Harpies Lady, "your Mirror Wall is in effect because I called an attack, I'm knocking it down with your own monster! CATAPULT LAUNCH!" The launch happened, breaking Mirror Wall to pieces!

"And not only that," Yami added, "the assault did more than break your Mirror Wall. And because since it was your own monster I fired, half of the Attack Points from it goes straight to your Life Points!" Mai's Life Points dropped to 850 as she gasped. "The tide is turning, now!"

"Let's see for my turn!" She said as she drew her card. _Destroying Catapult Turtle would give me the duel, but her face down is troublesome! A trap would have me walking in on it! The toughest decision is to whether to attack or not!_

"I'm waiting, Mai! Bring the assault!" Mai kept an eye on the face down, then made a decision not to attack, but played Elegant Egotist instead, giving her three Harpie Ladies! "And so my turn ends!" Yami just laughed. "What's the big idea now?!"

"If you attacked Mai," she explained, "you would've won this duel!" She revealed her card to not be a Trap, but Monster Recovery! "Thanks for falling for the bluff, Mai." Yami placed her Turtle, as well as her hand, in the deck, shuffled it, then draw a new set, only to not get a good set! "I play a monster in Defense Mode!"

"Shadow Of Eyes, remember?" Yami revealed her monster, Mystical Elf. "Shadow of eyes work on male monsters, but female monsters are completely immune to the Trap!"

Mai drew her next card. "First off, before I attack, I play Monster Reborn, and bring back an old friend!" Yami gasped as a dragon came back on Mai's side. "Harpie's Pet Dragon, come back from the dead! And he's back with 2900 Attack Points, 2000 for starters, then 300 more for each Harpie's Lady I control!"

"Not only that, but the Mystical Elf will protect me this turn!"

"Harpie's Ladies, EXTERMINATOR ATTACK!" Her three monsters charged together, making an X inside a triangle, then released the energy on the Mystical Elf, destroying her, but with Yami's Life Points safe!

All her friends gasped. "That's the last of Yume's defenses!" Téa cried out. "She's finished!" Yami was harsh on this. "You've lost, Yume! Your last defense is gone, and your Life Points are next! Taking me to the finals!"

' _We_ _have_ _to win this,'_ Yume called out to Yami. _'The fate of Father and everyone connected rests on this next card, as well as others! But what'll happen if we draw the wrong card?'_

' _Then we failed, Yume.'_ Yami said to her. _'And you go back to the Shadow Realm!'_ Yami drew her next card: Swords Of Revealing Light! "It doesn't matter anyway." Mai shrugged. "Any card you draw will never help you win."

But then a bright light occurred as Yami shouted out, "Swords Of Revealing Light!" Swords made from light prevented Mai's monsters from getting past them, giving Yami three more turns! "A surrender would've been easier," Mai suggested. "But now I'll have to take you down by force. The next three will never get to you!"

"Oh, it will, alright! I'll win after three turns!" Yami promised. ' _But how_ _can_ _we do it?'_ Yume asked her.

' _It's very risky, Yume. But the Black Luster Ritual is all we've got, considering that Mai's dragon is the most powerful one to beat!'_

' _Black Luster Ritual? What does it do?'_

' _With the right cards, Yume, you'll soon see!'_ Yami placed a monster down. "I'll end my turn by playing KURIBOH!" It showed up.

"Huh?" Mai said confusingly. "Wow! You planning to attack it? Because it looks ferocious at Harpie's Pet Dragon and wants to attack it!" She laughed as though it was a joke.

"Not really! The one thing you must learn, Mai, is to never underestimate monsters, especially Kuriboh!"

"Wow. I can't attack because of your Swords, so I'm just going to draw and pass my next turn!"

"We'll see soon enough!" Yami draw the next card: Polymerization. _Useless! Two cards left to get one, or I'm history!_ "This one worked for you, Mai!" Yami said as she placed down Monster Reborn. "But I'm working it to bring back Gaia, The Fierce Knight!" Her knight came back.

"Oh, posh! It's not like you'll be working it out anytime soon!" Mai drew her card, then passed her turn again. "Two left."

Yami nodded, then drew her next one: Winged Dragon. _Again, useless! This last card_ _has_ _to be the last one!_

Mai drew her next card: Harpie's Lady! "Alright, Yume! I'm ending my last turn, and the Swords are gone!" The light swords vanished, and Mai's monsters can move again. "And now, you're finished!"

"We'll see what I draw, Mai!" Yami called out as she drew her next card slowly, thinking it might be the wrong one, when the Puzzle glowed! _'I know what to do, spirit!'_ Yume called out to her. _'You seem very doubtful, so we're going to see my parents!'_

~Shadow Realm~

Yume opened her eyes, to see the spirit next to her in the Shadow Realm. "Why did you bring me here, Yume?" She asked her.

"Because," she explained, "you need to know what my parents have to say! They always help me in the most tightest spots I'm in!" She sees Yugi and Dark Magician Girl. "And there they are!" She waved them over, and they came to them.

"Yume!" Yugi said surprisingly. "I didn't expect you to be here and-" He noticed Yami. "She's having doubts?"

"This is a first timer, Father!" Yume said as she explained the situation of what needs to happen and the progress. "I'm also told that a purposeful lost brings me back here. True?"

"It's not true, Yume." Yugi countered. "If this spirit told you that, it was a small white lie to get you back in motion to win this." He looked at Yami. "What Yume said about believing in the heart of the cards is true. Pharaoh and I had a reputation of coming back at a tight spot by believing in the heart of the cards!"

"I get it now, Yugi!" Yami said, then turned to Yume. "I know now why your parents are so special to you."

"Of course you do, spirit! Let's head back."

~Duelist Kingdom Castle, Yume Vs. Mai~

Yami opened her eyes and gathered up her courage and faith as she drew her next card. _This is it!_ She thought. _Heart of the cards, don't fail me now!_ She looked: Black Luster Ritual! "Mai," she said, "it's been an honor dueling you, but this one belongs to me!"

"But how?! None of your monsters are powerful enough to withstand my dragon's attack!"

"True, but I also know that you have a Harpie Lady in your hand!" Mai looked and gasped. "If you would've played that, you would've won! Because," Yami played down the card, "I play the Magic card, BLACK LUSTER RITUAL!"

"WHAT?!" Mai exclaimed as a floor tile with a swords cross symbol in front of a shield with two jars next to the tile, one on each side.

"Black Luster Ritual," Yami explained, "works by the sacrifice of _all_ monsters I control!" Her two monsters went in the jars, one each. "And with the combined powers of the two separate monsters."

Two energy pillars came out of the jars, one each, and combined together! "And the forces of light and darkness intertwined, opening the Gates of Chaos!" The floor tile lifted and release a monster, letting out a short roar. "THE BLACK LUSTER SOLDIER!" (ATK/DEF Points: 3000/2500.)

"And now, you're finished Mai!" Yami called out to her, then her monster. "CHAOS BLADE ATTACK!" Black Luster Soldier raised his sword, then let it down, creating a shockwave, to which Mai's Harpie Ladies easily flew to safety, but their pet dragon was unlucky, causing him to take the blow, splitting him in half and destroyed! "He's now gone! VANQUISHED!"

Mai is still shocked at this experience as her Life Points dropped to 750. When she came to her senses, she placed her hand fully on her deck. "I surrender, Pegasus! This duel belongs to Yume!" She turned to her. "I'm sorry, Yume. If what you said is true, then I don't want to see one of my Harpie's Ladies destroyed. You win!"

"Mai," Yami said and she looked at her in the eyes. She smiled. "Thank you! Thank you for your help!"

a/n FINALLY! I was SO delayed because I couldn't continue this, but now I'm moving on!


	13. Mechanical Friends

Lethalty60: The title is meant for machine-type monsters, not repairs and such! Enjoy!

Yume: Not only that, but there's a special surprise waiting for you, but I'm not telling!

Lethalty60: Thanks, Yume, for not spoiling!

After the duel, Yume moves up to the next round, and stepped away from the arena to join her friends. "Way to go, Yume!" Joey called out. "I knew you could do it!"

"Thanks, Joey." Yume said. "Shouldn't you be down there for your duel against Bandit Keith?"

"I'll be alright, Yume! The intercontinental champ who earns a living by prize money is no big deal with me! What I _am_ worried about is the two of us dueling. I've known your father for a long time! I'll be safe. And besides, his spirit will be there, guiding me through every turn so I can win that prize money!"

"Right! And don't worry, Joey! If you can beat Bandit Keith at his own game, then I'm sure I'll have a tough time!" He nodded, then opened the doors to the arena, only to notice him not there. "Where is he?"

He heard a yawn. He looked and saw him. "What time is it?" Joey was shocked to see him here and _demands_ that he gets there now! "The match will start at a certain time, so there's no reason to fret!" He revealed a treasure card for tournament qualification.

Joey went inside his pocket, but couldn't find it. "I need to find it," he breathed. "I'll retrace my steps and find that card!" He ran off, hearing that he has five minutes before 11:00, which is when his duel starts.

"I wonder if he'll find it, Téa." Yume said worriedly. "I don't want to face Bandit Keith." She prays that Joey would find the card he needs to continue in the tournament.

Two minutes has gone by, and Joey hasn't returned yet. Keith yawned again. "You mind if I take off my boots?"

"Do whatever, but make sure to be at the dueling arena by 11:00 as well, or you're disqualified!"

"Seriously?! You guys and your rules!" He got up, then went to his side of the dueling arena, waiting for Joey, but not expecting him.

 _Yume!_ Yami said to her. She gasped as she recognize the voice. _Will Joey find his card in time?_

 _He won't, but there'll be something you'll be surprised to see! Just wait for it._ She held up her black card. _But I can't give him this card, because I won't be able to duel against Pegasus and build up enough reputation!_

Keith was getting bored. "Can we just disqualify him now? He's not coming back, anyway!"

"You're wrong!" "He'll be here!" Her friends said.

"Listen," he explained, "think about it. He's been scared to death of me ever since that duel back in the cave! I bet he's not even looking for it, but looking for a place to hide. In fact, I bet he lost that card on purpose for an excuse not to duel me."

"Hate to tell you, Keith, but Joey never backed down from a duel! At least, as far as I know. But I know someone else who knows for sure that Joey will be here to take you down!"

"Believe what you want, because time's running out with one minute left." The clock changed from 10:58 to 10:59 like he said.

Yume is starting to lose hope that Joey won't be back, when suddenly, the doors to Joey's way of the arena opened and Joey stepped by! His friends cheered him on for making it with seconds left.

"Hey!" Keith called out. "You got some bad news for us? Did you find your card? Or are you chickening out?"

Joey looked at the time, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the treasure card for tournament qualification. "WHAT?!" Keith yelled out as Yume, Téa, Tristan, and Bakura cheered him on as the clock struck 11:00!

"Okay, Keith! It's time to duel!"

"You know," Keith said, "I wanted you to show up. A warm-up match is just the thing to do so I can get ready for Pegasus!"

 _It's time to put those skills to the true test, Joey!_ Yume thought. _Just remember: Put your heart in those cards and you'll win!_

 _He will indeed, Yume._ Yami said. _I have renowned faith in him!_

 _Thanks, spirit! By the way, I don't think calling you 'spirit' is the way to go. Can I call you by a different name?_

 _Well,_ Yami said, then thought about it. _I went by some names: But mainly, I'm the Pharaoh's secret twin sister, also sealed in the Puzzle until his heir, which has to be a daughter, possess as well. So, call me Yami for now!_

 _Okay, Yami!_

"So tell me, Wheeler!" Keith said as they drew their hand of five cards. "How does it feel when an amateur like you going up against the intercontinental dueling champion?"

"Intercontinental champion!" Joey said sarcastically. "I'm getting scared already, I'm shaking in my shoes!"

"Now!" Keith said, starting the duel. "I'll start things off for you with a monster face down." He did so, and a spot in the arena, where he placed his monster, glowed.

 _Serenity, I'm doing this for you, Sis!_ Joey thought as he drew his card. "I'm placing a monster right back at you in Defense as well!"

"If we both continue to do Defense, this duel would get boring, so I'm spicing things up a notch!" He flipped his monster. "PENDULUM MACHINE!" His monster appeared, with red armor and an axe like a pendulum! (ATK/DEF Points: 1750/2000.) "And he's going overdrive on your monster!"

His monster used its hands to pick up Joey's monster, Battle Warrior, and readied its attack. "SLASHING BLADE ATTACK!" Keith barked out as Battle Warrior was destroyed!

"This is bad enough for Joey!" Tristan said.

"Don't be so negative, Tristan. At least Joey would have the advantage."

"That's right, Yume!" Bakura said. "When Keith flipped it to Attack Mode, Joey can see how powerful it is, giving him the strategy he needs to win!"

"Are you gonna play or not?"

"Oh, I'm playing, alright!" Joey said as he placed down a monster. "Giltia The Knight, mash that machine into scrap metal. SOUL SPEAR, ATTACK!" His monster showed up and strikes at Keith's monster with magic, but the magic was dismissed and Keith's monster _and_ Life Points unharmed!

Keith laughed. "Figured it out, yet? All my machine monsters are protected by magic-resistant armor, making all magic attacks worthless against them! And since it's my turn," he drew his next card, "I have a more powerful monster just for yours." He played it down. "LAUNCHER SPIDER!" His mahine spider showed up with rocket arms on it.

"Now, SHOCK-ROCKET ATTACK!" The rocket doors opened, and a couple rockets were released, destroying Joey's monster and reducing his Life Points to 1650. _This is a tough match with Keith,_ Joey thought, _just like I'd thought! I wasn't prepared for machine monsters, though._

"No machine can make it through without a glitch!" Bakura said.

"What's the catch, Yume?" Téa asked her, but she just shrugged. "I-I'm not sure, Téa! Machine monsters are the most powerful monsters in the dueling world. Not only for their resistance to magic-based attack, but with a strong offense! And the glitch I can find is only one way: Head-on attacks. If Joey plays his cards right, this duel will be in his favor!"

Joey drew his next card, uncertain of how to beat Keith's machine monsters, when he placed a face down, and a monster in defense, announcing it as he ended his turn! "Now you're afraid to fight like a man?" _The only way for him to attack is to draw him out!_ Keith drew his card. "A card face down and- OOPS!"

He dropped a card, face up, and it was starting to show, but he picked it right up. "Uh, pretend you never saw that!" He said quickly as he placed it face down, Defense Mode.

 _Alright!_ Joey thought. _His monster is not made of metal, so I'm free to attack it by will! That's a shadow monster named Zoa, something Flame Swordsman could take out very easily! And since it's not a machine, it's easy pray for magic-based attacks._

"I think Joey should pay more attention to what Keith is at!" Yume said as Joey played the Flame Swordsman in Attack Mode. "Not only that, but Zoa's Attack is higher than its Defense!" Joey placed a Magic card down. "And adding Salamandra to Flame Swordsman, boosting the Attack Points for another 700!" (New ATK Points: 2500.) "SWORDSMAN, ATTACK!"

Keith smirked. "You feel for it!" He revealed his Trap. "MAGIC ARMOR FORCE!" His Zoa became one with the machine. "Not only is he Metalzoa now, he's 400 Attack and Defense Points stronger!" (New ATK/DEF Points: 3000/2300.) "And the best part is that he's now a machine monster _and_ can deflect magic back to its attacker!"

The fire attack hit Metalzoa, but it was reverted back to Joey's Flame Swordsman, destroying him and sending Joey's Life Points to 1150. _He's been outmaneuvered!_ Keith drew his next card laughing: Stop Defense!

"Your Defense monster is next, but I'll play Stop Defense before attacking!" Joey's monster, Axe Raider, went to Attack Mode! "My Metalzoa will destroy that thing and end this duel! ATTACK!" Metalzoa charged after the Axe Raider and Téa avoided watching when, Metalzoa fell into a pit created by Joey's Trap!

"Thanks, Keith, for testing my Trap, like I planned it!"

"SERIOUSLY?! You had one set for me?"

"Perfect!" Yume exclaimed. "Chasm Of Spikes Trap card! Not only does it destroy Metalzoa, but a quarter of its Attack Points go straight against Keith's Life Points!" Keith's Life Points dropped to 1250.

"Not bad, huh, Keith?" Joey called out. "Wish you could've seen the look on your face when Metalzoa got shish-kebabed!"

"It's about time," Téa exclaimed, "somebody gave Keith a taste of his own medicine!"

"Not only that, Téa." Yume said. "I think Joey finally found the glitch in those machine monsters! Rather than a direct assault, he's using traps to an advantage."

"And with Joey falling behind by 100 Life Points, he's got this in the bag!"

"I'll just place this Trap card down! So now, it's your move."

"AMATEUR! You have to be bluffing!"

"See if I'm bluffing when I place Axe Raider back to Defense and place this in Attack Mode!" He placed a monster down. "GARUSIES, WIPE OUT THE PENDULUM MACHINE!" An axe lizard showed up on Joey's side. (ATK/DEF Points: 1800/1500.)

"BATTLE BLADE ATTACK!" His lizard charged and slashed the machine right in half, destroying it! _And_ sending Keith's Life Points down to 1200! "Time for a permanent vacation to the scrap yard, you hunk of junk!"

Joey hit a fuse on Keith. "RARGH!" He yelled out. "LAUNCHER SPIDER, DEMOLISH GARUSIES!" His spider launched rockets at the lizard, having a puff of smoke out. "One bluff served up defeat style."

"Wrong again, Keith! You thought I was bluffing!" Joey revealed his card, which is _indeed_ a Trap. "Kunai WIth Chain! Stops the attack, but also raises Garusies Attack Power, bringing it up to 2300, a 500 point increase. ATTACK WITH BATTLE AXE CRUSH!" His lizard dropped on the machine and destroyed it, bringing down the Life Points of Keith to 1100.

 _A true dueling champion duels that way! I'm proud of him._ "You losing your cool already, Mr. Champ? And by an amateur like me, to!" Keith chuckled then laughed. "What's the joke now?"

"Joke's on you, Wheeler! You're already counting on the prize money early, but the duel isn't even over yet, let alone close! You really think those Traps will last forever? Well at some point, you're going to run out! Because nobody beats Bandit Keith!"

"The scores are just about even, with 50 points separating, either one can win the game! It all depends on what these next turns will do!" She said louder so Joey could hear her. "Joey, remember that Serenity is counting on you!"

Keith is just waiting. "Alright, Wheeler! I have more machine monsters revved up and ready to steamroll the rest of your Life Points! You're nothing but a speed bump impeding my progress to duel Pegasus, which goes double for that little girlfriend of yours, Yume!"

She gasped lightly, as she had a little crush on Joey since meeting him for the first time, but ignored it with the time she spent with him, but that was with their friends nearby and she only had time with him alone to tell him the truth about her past!

"You may be right, Keith. But the one thing you got wrong is that Yume is _not_ my girlfriend! Just a regular friend, that's all." She mentally sighed. "I got news for you, Keith! Even if you _do_ beat me, you'll be facing the duelist who faced Kaiba a second time and won! And I bet you're in this tournament for greedy reasons."

Keith growled. "Sure," he continued as he drew his next card, "your tricks could gain you some ground, but when people with good intentions show up… Like me and Yume!"

"We'll just see about that!" Keith said angrily as he placed down a card. "My Barrel Dragon is gonna blast you _and_ your good intentions to dust. And with its triple attack laser discharge system, it'll have three attacks instead of just one!"

Keith did a thumbs-down. "Say _adios_ to your precious buddies on the field!" His dragon started charging up the lasers until at full power. "PROTON BLAST!" Two laser blasts happen, destroying both of Joey's monsters and reducing his Life Points to 850.

"Two monsters gone in one blast! And with 2600 fearsome Attack Points, there's not a monster in your deck powerful enough to destroy this thing."

"You're good, Keith!" Joey complimented, but put down a monster. "Now it's time to face TIME WIZARD!" It showed up. "And not only that," Joey placed another monster down. "I'm tossing down Baby Dragon as well!" His dragon showed up. "TIME ROULETTE!"

The arrow started spinning, first very slowly, then faster and faster until it's a blur to see! Joey's hoping for time machine as Keith was hoping for a skull. Yume's hoping that it lands on a time machine as the arrow starts to slow down until it ever so slowly stops, _on the time machine_! "Alright! Time machine time!"

Keith's machine dragon started losing power as it rusts up. (1800/1400.) While Joey's dragon started powering up to Thousand Year Dragon. "Now," Joey commanded, "ATTACK WITH NOXIOUS NOSTRIL GUST!"

His dragon started to power up, then released a gust to destroy Keith's rusted machine. "That piece of metal is history."

Keith chuckled as he started to reveal his Trap. "But history can repeat itself!" Joey was confused, so Keith fully revealed his Trap. "My own Trap card: my time traveling Time Machine!"

A time machine showed up on Keith's side. When it opened, his Barrel Dragon came out, looking nice and fresh before the time magic! "This machine can travel back a monster one turn when it got destroyed!" He explained. "So the monster you just destroyed comes back. PROTON BLAST!"

The lasers were fired, destroying Thousand Year Dragon and dropping Joey's Life Points down to 650. "And now he'll stay gone, unless you have a Time Machine Trap yourself, by which I doubt you do! To which I knew you'd use that Time Wizard to try and get an advantage. But I know every card in that deck when you dueled Bonz!"

"They're more than just about the cards you use, Keith!" Joey reminded, but Keith wouldn't listen. "Yeah, they're about backbone, too, and judging the look you had on your face when my dragon came back through time, I'd bet you don't even have one!"

 _That doesn't mean,_ Yume thought, _that he has a card that could take!_ Joey drew his card, but placed a monster in Defense Mode.

"Nice try, but I have Slot Machine!" The monster showed up. "Now for my dragon's turn! PROTON BLAST ON THE FACE DOWN!" The laser fired, destroying the monster.

 _Even if I can destroy that Slot Machine, his Barrel Dragon will wipe me out! Even my Red Eyes isn't powerful enough!_ He placed two cards down, one face down and his Red Eyes. "And I'm done right here!"

"That Red Eyes may be your best card, but it's going to be a pain when finished! PROTON BLAST!" Barrel Dragon charged up and just before the attack was launched, Joey revealed his face down.

"I'd thought you would attack!" He said. "But it's no match for Copycat! I can copy a card you've used on the field, because I'm choosing Magic Metal Force." His Red Eyes started having a metal effect. "And now, he's changed from Red Eyes Black Dragon to Red Eyes Black Metal Dragon!" (New ATK/DEF Points: 2800/2400)

"And now," Joey finished, "he's strong enough to withstand the attack and counterattack right back at your Life Points!" The attack connected, but the Metal Dragon stayed put, not destroyed yet. "Now, counterattack! FLASH, FLARE, BLAST!"

Metal Dragon charged up, then released it on the dragon, destroying it as Keith grunted, using his arms to shield his eyes from the blast as his Life Points were dropped to 900. "You like that, Keith? That dragon machine got reduced to a pile of smoking metal debris!" _And with my sister's sight on the line, so I'm dueling you with the hardest I've got!_

"I'm glad Joey's almost got Keith!" Yume said. "But I'm just as worried when Keith played Slot Machine in the first place."

"I _know_ you're an amateur, and I'll show you how come!"

"An amateur?" Joey asked confused. "Didn't I blast that monster of yours to smithereens?"

Keith growled. "THAT'S IT! I'm laying a card face down, and switching Slot Machine to Defense!"

"Bad move, Keith!" Joey said as he placed a face down. "I'm playing this face down, and having my Red Eyes do the battle. GO!" His Metal Dragon charged up and released its energy blast, but Keith had other plans.

"You are just as predictable as you are brainless." Keith revealed his face down. "SEVEN COMPLETED!" The middle slot of Slot Machine stopped at a seven. The attack connected, but the monster is still standing. "A 700 point boost to either I choose, so I picked Defense Points, enough to keep him standing, and deflect the attack at your own Life Points!"

Joey's dropped to 450. "And the best part," Keith added, "is that I have two more Seven Completed cards left, and they can either power up the Attack or Defense Points of Slot Machine by 700!"

"Just because you have them," Joey countered, "doesn't mean that you'll draw them both! If anything, they might well be on the bottom of the deck."

"We'll see." Keith called out as he drew his card, then secretly pulled out one from his wrist through deceit, but Pegasus saw it happen! "What do you know?!" He called out. "I just drew another Seven Completed! But I'm raising the Attack Power instead!"

 _If I don't do something by the time he attacks,_ Joey thought, _then this is trouble enough!_ "That Slot Machine," Yume warned, "will need one more Seven Completed on Attack to be strong enough to destroy that Red Eyes Metal Dragon!"

"As well as any other cards he's got." Bakura added.

"And I'll be playing Blast Sphere and attach it to your Red Eyes!" A red sphere showed up and attached itself to the Red Eyes Metal Dragon. "And after my turn," he added, "it'll self-destruct, for 2900 points of damage to your dragon!"

 _Aw, great!_ Joey thought. _And I thought it was just that Slot Machine to worry about. At least my face down will help me._ "And now my turn is over, Wheeler!" HIs sphere self-destructed, but just in time for Joey to reveal another card that saved his dragon as a cloud showed up.

"That dragon is finished and-" The smoke cleared, revealing that the dragon is still there. "HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?!" He saw the dragon's ATK Points raise to 3400 from 2800.

"You actually thought that my dragon would be easy to be blasted?" Joey revealed his card. "Thanks to my handy Magic card, Dragon Nails, he's safe for now by raising the Attack Points by 600, which makes the blast deflected!" Keith's Life Points dropped to 400, complaining about it.

"You'll make me cry, Keith!" Joey said sarcastically as Keith drew his card, then deceitfully grabbed a card from his wrist. "Looks like I got lucky again!" He placed the card down, powering up ATK Points to Slot Machine. "Another Seven Completed! One more for Attack." His Slot Machines ATK Points raised to 3400, matching the Metal Dragon.

"Now that both monster," Yume said, "have the same Attack Points, it's anyone's game to see who gets the advantage first! It all depends on how this turn goes out." Joey looked at his hand: Armored Lizard, Giant Soldier Of Stone, Shield And Sword, and Lava Battleguard. _Shield And Sword is useless!_ Joey thought. _It'll be giving Keith the edge, so I better get the right draw._

He drew his card to find the best surprise to Keith and placed it down, ending his turn. ' _Yume,'_ Yami called out to her, ' _what card did Joey place down?'_

' _It's the Grave Robber Trap card! He can take a card from Keith's graveyard and use it against him. At least, that what I hope it is!'_

Keith laughed. "No matter what card you have down, I'll just activate this!" He played it down. "The Pillager. With him, I get to see your hand and take a card." Joey placed his hand down for Keith to see. "I'll take the Shield And Sword from your hand!" He picked it up as Joey picked up the rest of his hand.

"And now," Keith added, "I'll play it without hesitation!" (Slot Machine: 3000/3400. Metal Dragon: 2400/3400.) "Told you you're through." He placed his Slot Machine to Attack Mode. "PLASMA LASER CANNON!"

His machine started to charge up. At full power, the machine released the energy at the Metal Dragon, but Joey had just enough time to use his Trap! Unfortunately, his Metal Dragon got destroyed and Keith laughed, only to stop as he sees a little guy with a shovel, pickaxe, and a tombstone behind him and holding his Time Machine Trap, snickering. "GRAVE ROBBER?!"

"That's right, Keith!" Joey explained. "You should've realized that I had this little guy just for you, because what he does is he sneaks into your Graveyard and picks one card and uses it against you, and I picked the Time Machine Trap card!"

"And since I played Shield and Sword this turn, and you played Dragon Nails two turns back, then that means…!"

"That's right. Red Eyes comes back as a Metal Dragon with Dragon Nails! And now, he's back!" The doors slowly opened, and red eyes are flashing inside, letting out a short growl. Then stepped out. "So now, he's back at regular power before Shield And Sword was activated. FLASH, FLARE, BLAST!"

His dragon started charging up, then released a big amount of energy flames at Slot Machine, destroying it and sending away the rest of Keith's Life Points, down to an even zero! Joey cheered on his victory as his friends did the same thing, but was halted by him. "HOLD IT! This duel doesn't count!"

"Don't know when to quit, huh, Yume?" Téa asked her and she nodded.

"That entry card was a fake! It wasn't his to begin with! _He_ should be the loser on this one!"

Joey knew how to counter this, though. "That is true, because Mai gave it to me, but what _I_ want to know, Keith, is how did you know it wasn't mine? I'm all ears." Keith said nothing as he was caught in his trick. "Not gonna explain, huh?"

"He won't explain, Joey." Pegasus said. "It's all a ruse to get you disqualified! He stole your card because of his silence to counteract what you asked him. He was _certain_ that you'd never find it." Joey's friends indicated that Keith should be disqualified.

"I knew it since his Slot Machine came out." Pegasus added. "I kept a close eye on the match for any cheating during the duel, and Keith had all three of his Seven Completed Magic cards in his wrists the whole time! He wanted an advantage whenever he can. TAKE HIM AWAY!" Two goons carried Bandit Keith out, but not before he showed up at Pegasus first.

"You're tough to crack, aren't you?" He asked, but Keith wasn't paying attention. "CAN IT, PEGASUS! You're not talking your way out of this one. Hand over the prize money _now_ or else!"

"I'll do it," Pegasus said, "but my body needs to recover first from complete paralysis that your terrifying demands have shocked me into!"

"You have until three!" Keith called out, and Pegasus finished it. "Okay. One two three!" His foot pressed a button, that the floor underneath Keith has been gone, and he fell right through, landing in the water!

"The finalists," Croquet announced, "will take a ten-minute recess. So rest up, because the host would want you at your very best!" Joey looked at Yume and Yume looked at Joey as they both get ready with the ten minutes they got!

(a/n The special surprise is a two duel bonus! Two duels in one chapter!)

After the ten minutes were up, Joey and Yume showed up for their duel together. "This last match," Croquet announced, "between Yume Orskov and Joey Wheeler will determine not only the winner of this match, but also a match to face off against Mr. Maximillion Pegasus!"

 _I,_ Yume thought, _would have to win this to go against Pegasus and rescue my great-grandfather! No doubt Pegasus used his Millennium Eye to see that I'm really Yume Muto!_

 _Got to win this,_ Joey thought, _for my sister Serenity!_ "Now, Yume vs Joey!" Bakura exclaimed. "Who would've thought that out of this whole tournament, those two would be facing each other?"

"Hey, Joey!" Yume called out. "Before we begin, I want to ask you a question first."

"Ask away, Yume."

"I know I said that if we faced each other, we should both go as far as we could for the best and honorable match. But we should enter as friends, then leave the same way, right?"

"You got it, Yume! Now, let's do this!" Despite Yume's Puzzle not glowing, she's fighting without the help of Yami unless she really needs it. "Let's do this, Joey!"

"Before we begin," Croquet reminded, "the host would like a few remarks."

Pegasus stands up and cleared his throat. "Congratulations, Duelists," he announced, "on making it this far and being the finest. And for that reason, I'd like to say that this match that would have you both going your best! May the best duelist win, but if you don't do your best, I'll know!"

"Yume," Joey said, "before we start, I want to say thanks!" She gasped lightly. "Look at me! I'm in the final match of the biggest Duel Monsters tournament that's ever been thrown for the second time! And it's all because of you. You brought me here and looked out for me."

Yume just shook her head. "You earned your place to be here, Joey! We both try our best in this duel, but we'll also stay as friends after this match!" _But that means I'll use Yami's help when I need it!_ She thought.

 _I won't insult you, Yume, by giving less than everything I have. I'm going to hit you hard from the very beginning of this duel!_

"DUAL!" Yume and Joey both shouted as they drew their hand, with Yume going first. "I'll start off with Celtic Guardian in Attack Mode!" Her elf showed up and Joey smiled.

"It was different," Téa reminded, "then how they dueled with nothing on the line! But now everything is: Joey for Serenity's eye operation, and Yume for Mr. Muto! There has to be a way where they can offer in a compromise!"

"Now it's my turn, Yume!" Joey drew his next card. "And I'm summoning Giltia The Knight for Attack Mode! ATTACK WITH SOUL SPEAR ASSAULT!" His knight charged after the elf, knocking the sword out of his hands and finishing him off by slashing at his chest, destroying him! Yume's Life Points dropped to 1550.

 _Any amateur mistakes,_ Yume thought, _like leaving his Knight unprotected, would give him a lose against Pegasus!_ "Joey wait!"

"What?"

"Ever since," she explained, "we arrived on this island, I've done my best to teach you with the help of Mr. Muto from the past. All you need to do is put it into play. And that means making no mistakes!"

"I don't get it, Yume. What do you mean? Did I do something wrong already? Only one turn has gone by."

"Joey," she explained, "what I'm saying is a duel in this magnitude, so that means every move you make is crucial! One wrong move, and then everything will collapse. It'll be like you never had practice before."

"I get it now, Yume! Every move has to be done on time."

"No one would ever leave a mistake unpunished!" Yume drew her card, then placed a monster down. "GAIA THE FIERCE KNIGHT!" Her knight showed up. "ATTACK!" She commanded as Gaia destroyed Giltia with a strike of a spear. Joey's Life Points also dropped to match Yume's, 1550.

"That was a nice move, Yume. But now it's my turn to see what I got in store for your knight!" He placed a monster down. "Armored Lizard in Defense Mode!" His lizard showed up. "Take your turn, Yume."

"With pleasure!" She said as she played a card. "I'll play Summoned Skull for Attack!" Her skull fiend showed up as Joey smirked. "LIGHTNING STRIKE!" Summoned Skull charged up his electricity, then launched it at Armored Lizard, destroying it.

Joey's still smirking. "I got you good, Yume! As you fell for my trap when you played Summoned Skull. I have a strategy with him that has zero mistakes. I hope you're ready because I'm about to show you a lesson you won't forget!"

"Joey is very confident that he has a plan to remove Summoned Skull." Téa said.

"First off, Yume, I'll play the Flame Swordsman for Attack!" He did so as his swordsman showed up. "But I didn't want to do this, but I did anyway." He played a Magic card. "SHIELD AND SWORD!" All ATK/DEF Points are switched with all monsters on the field! (Flame Swordsman: 1600/1800; Summoned Skull: 1200/2500; Gaia The Fierce Knight: 2100/2300.)

"How would you like that," Joey asked, "for every move I learned to play, huh? Bet you wished that the ropes were shown around me, huh? FLAMING SWORD OF BATTLE AGAINST THE SUMMONED SKULL!" His swordsman charged up his sword with the power of fire, then slashed at Summoned Skull, destroying it!

"Summoned Skull is now in ashes!" Joey cried out as Yume's Life Points dropped to 1150. "That's impressive Joey," she complimented. "Not only did you drop my Life Points, but you also took out one of my best monsters as well!"

"It's nothing compared to the other moves I have coming ready for you and waiting to spring."

"I'll be ready, but remember that you're not the only one who can play powerful moves! But know that Summoned Skull _will_ be avenged!" She drew her card, then placed a monster down. "Curse Of Dragon in Attack Mode!" Her yellow-boned dragon appears. "Next is Polymerization, to create Gaia The Dragon Champion!"

Gaia is on top of Curse Of Dragons as the Dragon Champion came. "ATTACK!" She ordered her Dragon Champion to destroy his Flame Swordsman, wiping him out and dropping Joey's Life Points to 750.

"That's what I mean," Bakura announced. "No matter what happens, Yume has a laser-like focus and makes big plays when they count. But we just have to see if Joey would do the same."

"The problem is," Tristan reminded, "how _can_ he keep his cool with that Dragon Champion out on the field?"

Bakura shook his head. "It's not about what's out. As you see, Yume was able to keep her cool while facing the Flame Swordsman. So Joey needs to maintain that same focus, especially while being attacked by a friend." _The daughter of his closest friend,_ Téa thought, remembering the moment she had suspicions on Yugi being Yume's daughter.

"And not only that," Bakura added, "he's been forced to think on his feet." Téa looked at him, then back at her two friends. "I actually think," she said, "that the two of them are pushing the other to do their very best."

"That must be true!" Bakura told her. "They're pushing each other as hard as they can now so that no matter who wins in this duel, he or she will be at their best when it comes to facing Pegasus! Which is why that even though they're forced against each other, they found a way to help each other."

Joey drew his next card, confident in getting the next one: Copycat. Joey looked at his hand, and saw Grave Robber, and found a strategy between the two! "Okay, Yume!" He said. "Ready or not, because here I come!"

She noticed him smiling. _What's he thinking right now?_ She thought. _My Dragon Champion is one of the most powerful monsters I have!_

' _Mind if I take over, Yume?'_ Yami said to her.

' _Be my guest!'_ Her Puzzle glowed as she changed to Yami just in time to hear Joey saying that her Dragon Champion is finished! "First off, say hello to the Red Eyes Black Dragon in Attack Mode!" His dragon showed up. "Next is Grave Robber to steal your Summoned Skull."

"NO!" Yami called out as her Summoned Skull is on Joey's side. "But, neither of them is strong enough."

"True," Joey said, but placed another card down, "but thanks to Copycat, I can use Polymerization without any problem because you played it earlier!" His Red Eyes and Yami's Summoned Skull fused into Red Eyes Black Skull Dragon. "I know that you know of what you know is coming next!"

"Bring it! I'm ready!" Yami shouted out. "Black Skull Dragon," Joey ordered, "DESTROY THE DRAGON CHAMPION WITH MOLTEN FIREBALLS!" His dragon charged up, then released a fireball at the Dragon Champion, destroying the combo and setting Yami's Life Points to 550!

"This is unbelievable!" Joey exclaimed. "I took down one of your most powerful monsters in your deck! Beating your Dragon Champion!" He sees that Yami hasn't moved since the attack. "You got to admit, Yume, that _was_ a pretty sweet move, right? With all that I did, it must've been a good card combo."

Yami said nothing and just looked at Joey in the eyes, as Yume would've reacted if she was there. "I see," Joey caught on. "You have your game face on to keep me in suspense, is that right?"

She shook her head. "Not even close. I'm letting you enjoy your triumph! You played a fine move, but now it's my turn to make the same kind of move!"

"I hope you're ready, Yume, because my Skull Dragon will end this!"

"Actually," Yami reminded, "this duel has only begun." She drew her card, confident of her strategy.

"It doesn't matter what you toss, Yume." Joey called out. "I know all the cards by heart of what you have!"

' _What are you planning, Yami?'_ Yume asked her.

' _Something I've never done before!'_ Yami said to her as she placed it down. "You'll also know it's my favorite, as Dark Magician Girl is played in Attack Mode!" She showed up.

"I'd figure you'd play either her, or Dark Magician to take care of tight spots! But she's no match yet for my Skull Dragon!"

"You sure about this, Joey?" Yami asked as she placed a Magic card down. "MAGICAL HATS!" A hat concealed Dark Magician Girl, as well as three more identical hats showed up. "Tell me which hat the Dark Magician Girl is hiding in?"

 _I was hoping to do this before Magical Hats, but no doubt she would've done it before ending her turn!_ Joey took some time to think before making a decision. "MOLTEN FIREBALLS!" His Skull Dragon charged up one, then released it on the second left hat, but turns out to be empty! "An empty hat?! I'll need to attack again later on!"

"That could be his last shot," Tristan said, "because since we've meet her, whenever a duelist gives Yume time to recover, they end up losing because she comes back stronger than ever!"

"But how," Bakura asked, "will Joey save his sister if he loses this duel to Yume? It doesn't matter who loses, one of them will lose everything!"

"And since you failed to attack my Dark Magician Girl, what else would you want to do before I start my turn?"

"I _do_ have one more thing in mind left, Yume. I'll be playing, but it could cost me." He played it. "Garoozis is played in Attack Mode!" An axe-wielding Lizard shows up.

"Are you serious about that?" Yami asked him, and he did a facepalm.

"Oh, great!" He exclaimed. "I forgot that you have the Dark Magician Girl with 2300 Attack Points while Garoozis is lower. What was I thinking?!"

"That attack would bring Joey down to 250 leftover!" Téa cried out.

"But a sacrifice worth winning," Bakura countered. Téa looked at him. "If all events happen, Yume would take Dark Magician Girl out and strike down Joey's monster, but then she'll be wide open for a direct attack against the Skull Dragon, giving the match to Joey! So he did that on purpose!"

' _I'm surprised that Joey,'_ Yami said to Yume, _'would use that strategy against us!'_

' _But it would never work!'_ Yume reminded. _'Anyone else, and they would've fallen for it.'_

"I'm not falling for that cheap trick, Joey!" Yami said as she placed a card down. "But one card is hidden within the Magical Hats for my turn. Pick another hat and see what we have in store for you!"

Joey was battling on whether it would be monster or a Trap, but it'll turn to a continuous chain until he stopped thinking. "Black Skull, ATTACK WITH MOLTEN FIREBALL!" His Skull Dragon charged again, then released it on the middle hat, with another empty one, as he tried again when Yami passed.

"This time, I won't miss! ATTACK ON THE LEFT HAT! MOLTEN FIREBALLS!" Skull Dragon released once more, turning out into the surprise Yami had in stock as it surrounded Skull Dragon.

"You've activated Spellbinding Circle!" Yami called out as the Skull Dragon's ATK Points dropped to 2500. Joey couldn't risk so he's putting Garoozis in Defense. "Now you're on the defensive now, huh? DARK MAGICIAN GIRL COME ON OUT!" She came out, then Yami drew her card: Magic Formula! "And I'm equipping her with Magic Formula!" Joey gasped.

"And with this kind of magic," Yami explained, "Dark Magician Girl gains an additional 700 Attack Points!" Dark Magician Girl holds the book, gaining ATK Points! (New amount: 2700.) "ATTACK, DARK MAGICIAN GIRL!"

She charged up her staff, then released it on the Skull Dragon, destroying it. And Joey's Life Points were dropped to 550. _I was hoping that my Skull Dragon would help, because now I'd have to deal with a powerful Dark Magician Girl!_

' _Joey,'_ Yami told Yume, _'kept me on the edge during this moment! You want to win this?'_

' _Bring it on!'_ Yume cried out as she came back. ' _This advantage will be a good thing, too, because Dark Magician Girl is not only 700 Points stronger than normal, she also has a few hidden powers to be shown!'_

"Joey's having a rough time there!" Tristan said with worry. "Do you think he might win on this?"

"It'll depend on what happens next turn." Bakura explained, and Téa asks why. "Losing that Skull Dragon," he explained, "is a heavy loss for Joey, but not a critical one! If Joey pulls himself together, he can still win this duel."

 _Wow!_ Joey thought surprisingly. _I went from top of the heap to down in the dumps all in one turn! But I have to win this for Serenity, because she's counting on me._ Joey drew his card with confidence in winning: Baby Dragon! "Alright, Yume. Would you do the honor of kissing the baby?" He placed the monster down. "Baby Dragon time!"

It showed up as Joey placed one more card down. "One card face down. And then I'll end my turn!"

 _It's gotta be the Time Wizard!_ Yume thought. _I have to destroy one to remove the combo._ "I'm putting in end to your Dragon/Time combo. Dark Magician Girl, ATTACK THE BABY DRAGON!" She charged up, but Joey expected it to happen.

"Sorry, Yume. You activated my Trap!" She gasped. "Go, Garoozis! Use Kunai With Chain against her Dark Magician Girl!" Garoozis threw the Kunai at Dark Magician Girl immobilizing her! ' _He knew all along I'd think he has the Time Wizard!'_ Yume said to Yami. _'That's why his face down was Kunai With Chain, so all I can do is wait.'_

' _I feel bad, Yume, because Magic Formula makes her close to impossible to beat!'_

"Yume," Joey said, "I'd say that move brings us the home stretch. Would you agree?"

"I sure would, Joey, if I was in your shoes, dueling me!" She complimented. "Now, show me what you have in stock! One of us has to duel Pegasus, so do your worst."

"Just remember that this duel has been an honor to duel you, Yume. I'm sure neither of us wants to lose. But if it was me, it was nice knowing it was from you! Now to end this." Joey drew his card: Time Wizard! "UNREAL!" He shouted as Yume gasped when he played Time Wizard and it showed up.

"It really is strange," Joey added, "that this'll come down to the card I was given. And that card saved my keester quite a few times in this tournament. And with Baby Dragon out, and the two of us Life Points away from finishing this duel, one spin will determine all! TIME ROULETTE, GO!"

The arrow started spinning, faster and faster, with Joey hoping for time machine, and Yume hoping for a skull, until the arrow slowly until it 'stopped' on the skull, bounced to time machine, bounced back to skull, then bounced and stopped on time machine! "ALRIGHT! Time for a Time Warp!"

Baby Dragon evolved into Thousand Year Dragon as Yume's Dark Magician Girl got really old! "I'm sorry, Yume, but the time warp made your Dark Magician Girl one very old lady, that she can barely fight back!"

 _This is the first time,_ Joey thought, _that I'd beat a duelist who's had the longest winning streak_ _ever_ _!_ "Now for the attack! NOXIOUS NOSTRIL GUST!" His Dragon strike, but Yume had other plans!

"Makiu, The Magical Mist is my counter!" The attack slowly got thinner until it was gone before reaching her Dark Magician Girl. "How did my attack got smothered? You played Makiu on my turn!"

"Magic that took Dark Magician Girl just as long as Dark Magician to use!" Joey was confused, so Yume explained. "Dark Magician Girl did age a thousand years. But instead of getting weaker, she got stronger! And with age comes with great wisdom!" Her Dark Magician Girl started glowing as she changed.

"Thousand years have changed the Dark Magician Girl to," She was revealed to be a Mistress of All Magic, "THE DARK MISTRESS!" (a/n It's suppose to be the female version of the Dark Sage, but it doesn't exist.)

"An ultimate Magician with new powers that lets me play any Magic card during each of your turns and every one of mine. And the one I choose was Makiu, The Magical Mist, which neutralized the attack of your Dragon! And now, mine will be played, which would be this card that I'll draw!" She drew it: Monster Reborn!

"Joey," she announced, "this duel was very good, but this time, it's the hardest I've ever did in all my duels."

"Just bring in on, Yume!" Joey encouraged. She nodded with tears in her eyes as she placed the card down down. "MONSTER REBORN! I'll bring back the fallen Red Eyes Black Skull Dragon!"

 _It's over,_ Joey thought. _She'll attack, and then it's over._ He looked up and smiled. "Do it, Yume! Make me tough!"

"Thank you, Joey!" She said, then ordered her Skull Dragon to attack, ending the duel with Yume the winner.


	14. Ultimate Dueling Beast

Well, this is it! The third to last duel I'm doing on Season 1 of Yu-Gi-Oh. Hope you enjoy. And before anything else, Yume and Yami are going to talk to each other a lot, so here's how they'd do it:

 _Thoughts on everyone.  
_ ' _Yami and Yume speaking to each other in their head, and possibly others with that ability.'_

* * *

' _Pegasus,'_ Yume told Yami, _'may have taken my great-grandfather's soul, Yami. But his heart is in this deck and with me all along.'_

' _Don't worry, Yume.'_ Yami said reassuringly. _'You won't let him down, and Pegasus will be the one to go down!'_

' _Father taught me everything he knew about Duel Monsters from what he learned from his experience. Pegasus knows about me because of his Millennium Eye! This deck is all I can manage to take down Pegasus.'_ Yume put away her deck, then gets ready to face Pegasus, when there was a surprise.

"Surprise, Yume!" Téa called out.

Yume was a bit surprised. "What're you guys doing here?"

"Came to wish you luck, Yume." Tristan said. "Even though these past days we've been with each other, we still consider you a friend."

"This is it, Yume!" Joey said. "The last duel you'll take place in Duelist Kingdom. And then, we'll see Gramps when we head back."

"Thank you." Yume smiled as she head to the dueling arena, where she represented a blank card to challenge Pegasus. Later on, Pegasus showed up with two of his goons flanking him on each side. He picked a deck, then approached the arena, where he placed his deck down.

 _It'll take,_ Yume thought, _everything I know and all the power I can muster, but Pegasus_ _needs_ _to be defeated in order to get them back: Solomon Muto, Mokuba Kaiba, and Seto Kaiba!_

"Well now, Yume," he said. "You've managed to come this far, and you seem more determined than ever to win this as you defeated every opponent, winning your way inside the castle, and dueled your hardest. And all to face against me in a duel!"

"But before we begin," Yume called out, "I want you to keep your promise to release the souls of Mr. Muto and the Kaiba Brothers when you've been defeated!"

"I'm always a man of my word, Yume. But it makes it strange because I thought you hate Kaiba, didn't you? As much as you hate me."

"Maybe I'll need to keep a vow of my own, Pegasus. Because this time, _I will_ defeat you!"

"Of course! You made a vow to Mokuba Kaiba to reunite him with his brother, didn't you?" Yume gasped lightly, because she forgot that he can read her mind because of the Millennium Eye. "Nevertheless, I'll agree to your terms. Keeping it real simple for you. I'll free these three souls if you win." He showed three soul cards of Solomon and the Kaiba Brothers.

"Let's get this over with, Pegasus!" Yume called out as she changed to Yami. She drew her hand, as did Pegasus.

"And before we begin, Yume." Pegasus reminded. "That blank card is meant for something! If I win, your soul is claimed by me forever! Even if you have so much to gain in this duel, but as much risk."

"This is a risk I'm taking, Pegasus!" Yami countered. "I need to do this to free those three souls. But I never plan to lose, and you'll see! Because I have no intentions of becoming part of your soul collection."

"Before we begin the final match," Croquet announced, "you each get a chance to cut your opponent's deck." Yami cut Pegasus' white Pegasus just tapped Yami's, saying it's fine as is. Then the decks were returned. "The winner will be declared either King of Games," he looked at Pegasus, "or Queen of Games!" He looked at Yami and she smiled.

"Time to begin, Yume!" Pegasus said. _Because you're a novice in my eyes, I've mastered my Millennium Eye!_ His thoughts were as Yami thought about not losing.

Yami starts things off with a face down with a Defense monster. Pegasus knows that the monster is Beaver Warrior as he drew his card. "I'll lay this card face down, and then play Red Archery Girl in Defense!" A mermaid inside a clam with a red bow showed up. (ATK/DEF Points: 1400/1500.) "Your move, Yume-girl!"

' _This is tough, Yume,'_ Yami called to her. _'How am I going to do this when he played such a weak monster in Defense?'_

' _He could be drawing you to attack, but there's also a chance where we'll have the advantage, so strike!'_

Yami nodded. "I'll switch Beaver Warrior to Attack Mode!" Her Beaver Warrior showed up. "Then I'll activate my hidden card, Horn Of The Unicorn!" Beaver Warrior has a horn on his head. "The electric surge through the horn powered up his sword for a raise of 700 Attack Points!" (New ATK Points: 1900.) "ATTACK THE ARCHERY GIRL!"

"I got you where I want you, Yume!" Pegasus said as he revealed a Trap. "Tears Of A Mermaid Trap!" His mermaid started having a bubble stare as the electricity was cut off. "Tears Of A Mermaid activates," Pegasus explained, "the moment an opponent plays a hidden card and negates it! The electricity from the horn is diminished and dropped to its original Attack Power!"

Yami growled. "And now," he added as he switched Archery Girl to Attack Mode, "MAKE THAT BEAVER ROADKILL, ARCHERY GIRL!" Archery Girl prepared an arrow, then launched it at Beaver Warrior, destroying him and dropping Yami's Life Points down to 1800!

' _He_ _has_ _to be reading my mind, Yume!'_ Yami called to her. _'What should I do?'_

' _Leave that to me!'_ Yami returned to Yume and she drew her card. "Now," Pegasus called out to Yume, "do you realize now of my powers?"

"The power to read minds because of your Millennium Eye!" She called out. "I'll find a way out of it, just you wait! The odds are against me, but I'm not surrendering!"

"Do your worst, Yume!" Pegasus called out as he used the Millennium Eye again. "Placing a monster in Defense Mode and ending my turn!"

Pegasus drew his card. "For something you've wanted!" He placed a monster down. "But first, I'll play Ryu-Ran in Defense." An egg appeared, but it hatched a little as wings and eyes appeared. "Weren't eggs-actly expecting it, right?" He placed Archery Girl in Defense Mode and ended his turn.

"I'll get rid of that egg and crack it open!" Yume cried out as she was about to draw her card. _Now to see what she has!_ Pegasus used his Millennium Eye to see Yume's hand: Celtic Guardian, Spellbinding Circle, Magical Hats, and Horn Imp. Pegasus saw what Yume drew. "Is that a Summoned Skull you drew?"

"PEGASUS!" Yume sbouted out in anger.

"He'll go nicely with Celtic Guardian, Spellbinding Circle, Magical Hats, and Horn Imp."

 _The only way to stop his Millennium Eye is hard to figure out, but I_ _will_ _figure it out!_ Yume thought as Yami took place. _'I'll taking it from here, Yume.'_

"Take your turn, Yume." Pegasus said as Yami placed down two cards. "Placing a face down and Summoned Skull in Defense."

Pegasus drew his card, then placed Ryu-Ran to Attack Mode, which was a dragon in the egg. "FIRESTREAM ATTACK!" The dragon released a blast of fire at Summoned Skull, but Yami expected it.

"Spellbinding Circle!" Yami shouted as her monster was saved and Ryu-Ran ensnared. "And now, it's weaker!" (New ATK Points of Ryu-Ran: 1500.)

"No, not this." Pegasus said sarcastically.

"Hope you're ready, Pegasus!" Yami called out. "I switch Summoned Skull to Attack and use Lightning Strike on your Ryu-Ran!" Summoned Skull started charging up, but Pegasus expected it.

"Not so fast, Yume!" Pegasus said as he revealed a face down. "Trap Displacement! A Trap for Traps. I can replace Spellbinding Circle to another monster! And I choose your Summoned Skull." Summoned Skull is now under the Spellbinding Circle Trap. (ATK Point change: Ryu-Ran: 2200; Summoned Skull: 1800.)

"Now he's back to normal and my Summoned Skull drained! Now he won't survive."

"That's like I knew it was coming! And did you really think you would pull something from me? FIRESTREAM ATTACK!" His dragon released fire again, this time destroying the Summoned Skull and dropping Yami's Life Points to 1400. "And now it's my turn."

Pegasus drew his card, and Yami starts thinking of how to beat the Millennium Eye at its own game. "You can't, Yume!" She gasped. "You're at it's mercy. Nothing you can do to stop it! I know every card and prepared this for counter attacking. Knowing all your strategies and how to counteract against it. Even if I don't have the Millennium Eye, you're completely defenseless against me!"

Pegasus revealed his card. "I'm sure you'll remember this because I play Toon World!" He placed it down as his monsters became toons. "Not only will they be protected until attacking, but they also become adorable toon form, leaving you to surrender! Manga Ryu-Ran, ATTACK HER FACE DOWN! NASTY NOSTRIL FLAME!"

His dragon charged up, then let it out on Yami's Stone Soldier, but the DEF was too weak and got destroyed. "I can feel the proud satisfaction that a parent would. It was my reward for creating the card. And I'll be ending my turn by placing my Mermaid in Attack Mode."

Yami draws her next card. _'I have to take the offensive, Yume!'_

' _Be careful because he'll know when to counterattack!'_

' _I have a plan, but instincts is how I'll go for this one!'_ She placed a monster down. "Celtic Guardian, Attack Mode!" _They'll both be defeated in a stand-off, because the Attack Points match each._ "SILVERBLADE SLASH ON THE MERMAID!" The elf jumped to hit the mermaid, but the clam caught the attack head on!

"Don't even bother this way." Pegasus reminded. "Toon monsters can't be destroyed as long as I have Toon World in play!" The clam kicked the elf away and the Mermaid shot Celtic Guardian, destroying him. "Don't think about stronger monsters," he added. "Toons can't be defeated by brute force."

Pegasus draws his card to start his turn. "I'll place two face downs and end my turn." Two glows appeared.

 _More to worry about,_ Yami thought. "I'll take my turn!" She saw that she needs to play safe. "Monster in Defense Mode!"

"I thought you would, Yume!" Pegasus said as he revealed another Trap. "It's the reason why I played Gorgon's Eye!" Gorgon's Eye appeared and sees the Horn Imp, turning it to stone. "Gorgon's Eye will render any monster you place Defensively useless, as it's a permanent Trap!"

His eye vanishes. "And for every victimized monster I destroy, half of the Defense Points goes against your Life Points! There's also a bright side for a fossilized set of monsters, Yume. Fine paperweights!" He laughed, but Yami didn't say anything, let alone laugh.

"Not much for humor, right? Well, lighten up with my second face down." He revealed it. "Doppelganger, the Copy card! This guy can become any card on field." His cat toon showed up. "Of course, what he chooses." Doppleganger whispered something in Pegasus' ear. "Oh, my! Doppelganger would like to become the Summoned Skull I defeated a few turns back."

Doppelganger went inside Toon World book and changed to Toon Skull. Yami demanded what happened to him. "Nothing compared what he'll do to your Horn Imp!" Pegasus then commanded that his Toon Skull attacks Horn Imp with lightning strike, and destroyed the stoned Imp.

"Now half his Defense Points is against your Life Points because of Gorgon's Eye!" Yami's Life Points dropped to her last 900! "Take your turn, Yume-girl."

Yami draws her next card, and Pegasus can see Dark Magician Girl. "You're favorite card, right, Yume? Dark Magician Girl?"

Yami is still trying to figure out what to do, when Pegasus intervened, saying that he should start butting out, and that she should accept defeat. Téa and Joey encouraged her to keep on through to the end and they believe in her to win! _I know what I have to do!_ She placed it down. "Dark Magician Girl for Attack!" She showed up.

"What's she going to do?" Pegasus asked. "You know that she can't even make a dent in the book!"

"That's why I'm not attacking!" She said. "I've played her for a reason. I bet you don't know that a Dark Magician is in my graveyard!" He gasped. "I'll take that you didn't know, because now, Dark Magician Girl gains an additional 300 Attack Points mixed with the Book of Secret Arts, increasing even further!" (New ATK Points: 2600.)

"W-WHAT?!" Pegasus shouted as Yami played a Magic card. "I'll use Magical Hats to seal her to safety!" Four identical hats appeared, keeping her safe.

"I see you're trying to buy time until you can destroy Toon World, but forget it because you know I can locate the exact location of her using the Millennium Eye! See goodbye to her and the duel!" He starts using his Eye to see as Yami is in a bit of panic.

' _What can I do, Yume?!'_ Yami thought. ' _Pegasus will know the secret and then I'm finished!'_

' _Yami, I know a way!'_ Yume shouted. _'I know a way for how we can defeat Pegasus at his own game!'_

' _Yume, please say it! He's clawing to our minds! Pretty soon, he'll know the location of Dark Magician Girl!'_

' _The only way I can think of is to let me take it from here!'_

' _ARE YOU SERIOUS?! You putting me on hold while you duel him?!'_

' _I know it's risky, but you hid Dark Magician Girl, and I don't know where she is! If you let me go and duel, I'll be able to beat him! If we continue like this, mind-reading will win! I'll be sent back to the Shadow Realm and Marik would win!'_

' _It's dangerous, but I'll let you take cover! I'll keep Dark Magician Girl a secret! You go duel NOW!'_ Yami changed back to Yume just before Pegasus attacked! "I'll equip Toon Skull with a Magic card to buff him up stronger than you mage! Now, FAR LEFT!" Toon Skull came out, and charged up electricity to destroy the hat but, unfortunately for him, the hat was empty.

"I guess I win!"

"Try again, Pegasus!" Yume shouted. "Or maybe your touch is coming loose?" Pegasus looked to see that Yume has all 900 Life Points as well as Dark Magician Girl still with Book Of Secret Arts equipped to her. "I _knew_ I hit her! I felt resistance, but she should've been under that hat!"

"Try and try again, Pegasus!" Yume shouted and he looked up and gasped. "I don't know where Dark Magician Girl is! Either that, or you're starting to come loose on your mind-reading powers, huh?"

"Do you really think that you can defy the powers my Millennium Eye possess?! That's taking it to far, Yume!"

"I'm sorry, Pegasus, but you are not the only one with a Millennium Item!" She takes out the Millennium Puzzle. "Let's see what happens when we duel with our Items in play. And it's my turn!"

She drew her card, then placed it face down, announcing it as she ends her turn. _'Your turn, Yami.'_ They changed.

Pegasus tried to read Yami's mind for the face down, but got nothing. "How is it possible?! I got nothing!" He exclaimed, but Yami chuckled. " _I_ don't know that card, Pegasus!"

 _How can this be?!_ He thought, but it looks as though Yami read his mind, but didn't. "Pegasus, I don't know the card because I'm not Yume Orskov, but someone else altogether. Through the magic of the Puzzle, we can be able to switch at our own terms. And every time you read one of us, we'll mind shuffle on you!"

"NO!"

"You going to continue, Pegasus?"

He shook his head. "No more of this trick!" He drew his card. "Mind reading is one skill I possess, or did you forget who created the game in the first place? Not only that, I can tell you're about to switch minds as soon as I reach for Dark Magician Girl. It'll take a bit of time before I can find her."

"Pick a hat, and then we'll see if your skills are good enough!" Yami called out. "But I bet that you've relied on the Eye for so long that your skills could be diminishing."

He chuckles. "Even if that's true, I'm still far and away from a superior duelist like you!"

"I'm tired of this stalling, so make your move!"

"Patience, okay?" Pegasus thought a bit before deciding. "THE MIDDLE HAT!" Toon Skull appeared and attacked that hat, but it was empty. "Again?!"

"Another wasted turn, Pegasus!" Yami chuckled. "And for my turn…"

"We'll switch roles!" Yami and Yume said together as Yume came.

"Our strategy is working against you!" She drew her next card: Living Arrow! "I'll place this one face down, and see you later!" Yami came, preventing Pegasus ro know what that card is.

 _Another face down,_ he thought, _and there's nothing I can do, except wait for that card to show up!_

 _Another face down that I don't know,_ Yami thought. _I'm sure Yume would never place it down unless it'll help us win._

Pegasus drew his card, getting annoyed. "This card will devastate your Dark Magician Girl, Yume!" He played it down. "Magical Neutralizing Force ACTIVATE!" A tornado appeared on Yami's side. "This will remove all Magic cards along with their effects that are currently active."

Magical Hats disappeared with Dark Magician Girl revealed, weaker. (ATK Points: 2300.) "Now this duel is finally over on my victory! Do you now know that it's too late for you to turn this duel around? Toon Skull, COME ON OUT AND DESTROY HER MONSTER _AND_ HER LIFE POINTS!"

Toon Skull comes out, then used a face against her. _Without any protection, she's done for! But there is two cards left Yume left face down!_ "ATTACK WITH LIGHTNING STRIKE!" Toon Skull charged up on its wings, then released on her!

' _Quick, Yume! Help her!'_ Yami switched to Yume as she revealed a card. "Pegasus! I activate a Magic card!"

 _AGAIN?!_ He thought as Yume revealed Living Arrow. "That's my hidden card. You know what the Living Arrow does, right? Considering the fact that you created Duel Monsters in the first place. And it doesn't matter if the card is monster or Magic!" He growled. "We've gone through you mind-reading tactics, Pegasus," Yume said. "And now, we're using it against you by using Living Arrow to fuse Magical Neutralizing to your Toon World!" The Living Arrow pushed itself to the book and struck it. His toons now shows up, unprotected.

"You're still too late to save Dark Magician Girl!" The attack connected. "Say goodbye to her." Yume countered it by revealing a Trap on him. "Look again! Because I play Mirror Force! My favorite Trap!" The attack, instead of hitting Dark Magician Girl, it hits a reflective barrier that turns against Toon Skull, wiping out all of Pegasus' monsters!

"NO!" He screamed out. "IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! YOU'VE MANAGED TO DEFEAT MY PRECIOUS TOONS!"

"And with your toons destroyed as well as Toon World, you can't stop us, Pegasus!" Yume called out as Pegasus' Life Points drop to his last 600.

 _She's the best opponent I could ask for._ Pegasus thought. _But it's time to change things up and turn this duel around! Her Puzzle is also good, she duels just like Yugi-boy did maybe…_ He gasped. _She's in relation to him: His daughter! I need to put in end to this and see if my theory is correct!_

"I'm impressed, Yume. Because when I first met you, you were just a little girl, who showed some faint dueling promise. But with my gentle guidance, just look at yourself. One step away from becoming world champion. You went to the Shadow Realm and back! In fact, I bet you were even born there!" She gasped.

"And the last bit is, you've finally harnessed the power of the Millennium Puzzle! And that's what this whole tournament is all about: Mastering your Puzzle! And I plan to take possession of it!" Shadows start creeping around him.

"What are you doing, Pegasus?" Yume demanded, feeling uncertain about this.

"We," Pegasus replied, "are going to finish this duel between you and I in the Shadow Realm! But this time, winner takes all!" Shadows continued to develop across the arena. "In one realm or another, Yume, I _will_ defeat you! But this time, you _won't_ be as lucky as your Father!"

The shadows completely covered the arena, trapping Yume and Pegasus in the Shadow Realm. _Not this again!_ Yume thought. _My parents will be here at any time!_

"You seem to know quite well about the Shadow Realm, Yume. But this'll be a lot harder than you'd think! The strain for mind shuffling will make it more difficult for you to mentally conjure up your monsters."

Yume is starting to feel a bit light headed and started to breath harder. _'Yami, I'm starting to feel downwards! The Shadow Realm is making me weak.'_

' _I'm taking over to save you!'_ Yami came back. "I'm strong enough," she said, "so we can finish this duel!" She drew her card. ' _Yume, stay until I beat Pegasus. It's better that way, so you don't fall to the shadows! The Shadow Realm is easier for me, but you've been exposed less since coming back.'_

' _Our strategy worked fine, Yami.'_ Yume told her, a little bit weak. _'And besides, I'm supposed to have a monster side, right? So maybe if I-'_

' _DON'T! Just avoid turning into the monster and you'll be better off!'_

Pegasus drew his card. "I'm playing Dark Eyes Illusionist in Attack Mode!" It shows up, but practically worthless! "I know he looks formidable, but what kind of threat could he really be? With zero of each, and because it's a monster you've never seen before, you don't know its secrets, which in turn relate to me because I have the tricks up my sleeve now!"

"I don't understand the secrets behind it, Pegasus, but I plan to find out before it's too late!" Yami called out. "I'm sure it's not as harmless by looks, either. I _know_ it's suspicious!"

"Yume, you are very suspicious." Yami placed a monster down in Attack. "I'm placing down Curse Of Dragons as well." Her Dragon came.

' _Yami, please! We need to keep Pegasus thinking of our next move!'_

' _Just be careful of the consequences.'_ Yami warned as Yume came.

 _Yume may have underestimate her mental prowess_ _and_ _the burden of fighting a Shadow Game Duel!_ Pegasus thought, then said, "Yume girl, I bet you don't have it in you. You have two creatures to maintain: Curse Of Dragon and Dark Magician Girl!"

Yume starts to feel the pressure now! "Uh, this strain!" She places a hand on her head. "It's like nothing I've ever felt before! I know I'm born in this realm, but I need my monster form to continue! If I can just-"

' _Yume, that's enough!'_ Yami shouted. _'I want you to switch right now! Because if the burden is too much, you'll collapse under the stress!'_

' _I need to… last this turn… and then, we'll… switch!'_

 _She's young and unskilled,_ Pegasus thought, _to cope with this stress, and communicating with the other spirit just makes things worse! Her mental and magical energies will soon be exhausted and she'll collapse._

Pegasus just puts a card down. "Yume," he said, "you're looking a bit pale there. Maybe you need to give up on mind-shuffling tactics and take a breather. I can send you back when you're ready to surrender."

Yume is having a rough time even holding her cards steady as she breathes harder. _'Yume!'_ Yami called out. _'Pegasus is right this time. Your mind is too young to cope with the stress of maintaining our monsters.'_

' _I'm… having a… rough time, but… take… over… PLEASE!'_ Yume said very weakly as Yami took over. "I'll now attack with Curse Of Dragons!" Curse Of Dragons started charging at Dark Eye.

 _An impulsive attack,_ Pegasus thought, _no doubt precipitated, but by her concern for little Yume. But a fatal mistake was done when she attacked!_ "The attack caused Dark Eye Illusionist's special ability! Mesmerizing Magic!" The attack was stopped as though it never happened! "It stopped!"

"And to make it up for the zero," Pegasus explained as the Eye of Horus shows up on Curse Of Dragon. "I endowed him with a special ability! Dark Eyes can use the power of its mesmeric eye to paralyze attacking monsters in their tracks! And who knows what I have in stock for tricks?"

"I'm waiting, Pegasus!" Yami called out as Pegasus revealed a Magic card. "As you wish, Yume," he said, "because I'm playing the Magic card Illusion Ritual, and my Dark Eyes is just perfect for this! You're probably thinking if I'm crazy, thinking why I would sacrifice a monster that can paralyze others!"

Yami growled. "Of course not!" Pegasus continued. "I'm merely using this ceremony to create an even better monster." He start laughing. "I'll sacrifice my Dark Eyes Illusionist to create the ultimate spellcasting monster!" His Dark Eyes went into the jar as it changed form due to the sacrifice. "Say hello to the incredible, extraordinary, unforgettable creature known as..." The transformation is complete. "RELINQUISHED! Quite a looker, huh?" Practically useless, with zero points each!

"What makes that creature ever more powerful than your last one? I've never seen one like it!" Yami asked, but Pegasus just chuckled.

"I'll show you by activating his special power! And it's even more irresistible than my previous monster." Relinquished started sucking in Curse Of Dragons until it's gone! Yami was shocked about it. "Curse Of Dragons _is_ gone, but not forgotten."

She growled. "Dark Magician Girl, with your Attack Points of 2300, destroy Relinquished!" Dark Magician Girl charged up her staff, then released it, only to attack Curse Of Dragons instead after activating its Defensive Shield from Pegasus. "Great!" Yami called out. "Relinquished is using Curse Of Dragons as a shield against it!"

"Not only does Dark Magician Girl destroy Curse Of Dragons, but the difference goes to _your_ Life Points because Curse Of Dragons was _your_ monster!" Yami's Life Points dropped to 600. "By absorbing its opponent's monsters, Relinquished can use them with their Attack and Defense Points to protect against any monster attacking it." Yami growled again.

"Relinquished stays unharmed while the opponent suffers damage, which makes your own attacks reduce your Life Points! And as long as I have Relinquished in play, I'll be unbeatable and you are your worst enemy! And how frustrating it must be for you, to know that all these great monsters in your deck and if any of them is played, they will be used against you."

"It's not over yet, Pegasus! The game's still on, and we seem to be tied for Life Points! But mark my words, I _will_ defeat you and get my wish granted of releasing the souls of my great-grandfather and the Kaiba Brothers!"

Pegasus draws his next card. "My monster's unstoppable! Just watch as I activate it's Hypnotic Attraction!" Relinquished launched a beam at Dark Magician Girl, causing her to resist a bit, but eventually, she went inside Relinquished.

"Try as she might to resist, your Dark Magician Girl will find my spellcaster as irresistible as your Dragon did! Like him, she'll soon be mine!" Dark Magician Girl looked at Yami with a worried look before being sucked inside Relinquished! And then Dark Magician Girl appeared on Relinquished shield. Yami did not like this one bit as every detail is explained.

"You're finally catching on, Yume!" Pegasus chuckled. "And this time, I have your favorite monster, but not your most powerful one, against you! But one attack will draw away your Life Points all the same. I guess she's not your favorite anymore."

 _This is trouble enough!_ Yami thought. _Any monster I send out would be turned against me, because of Relinquished! And even with a new strategy, Pegasus will read my mind and counteract it._

' _Y-Yami,'_ Yume said. _'You seem to be… having trouble!'_

' _Yume! Please, not now! You still need to recover!'_

' _I need to… do this, Yami. We'll switch… and then… I'll place a… card down, then retreat… before Pegasus knows it! It worked… before, so I'm sure… it'll happen again!'_

' _Are you sure you can do this, Yume? Any sudden changes could cause you to be knocked out.'_

' _It doesn't… have to be… that long, but long enough… for me to… place a card down.'_

' _You still need to recover, Yume! If you're unprepared, then your parents will know!'_

' _Trust me, Yami! I can do it. I promise!'_

' _Please,'_ Yami said as they switched, _'be careful.'_

Yume returns, but so much energy is drained that her recovery didn't help as she let out a short scream! "G-Gotta play… f-fast!" Yume said as she tried to draw a card.

 _There she is again!_ Pegasus thought. _Some people just never learn!_

 _Heart of the cards,_ she thought, _please don't fail me because… this next card… might possibly be… my last!_ She reached further. _Need it… to be the one to… defeat Pegasus!_ She drew it, and was a bit glad as she placed it down. _It'll be up to… Yami to take care of things!_

"P-Pegasus," Yume called out weakly. "I place a card… face down and," she reached for a monster to place, "play F-Feral I-Imp in… D-Defense Mode!" _And now,_ she thought, _the face down will… be permanent for Pegasus… to not see… until Yami reveals it! 'P-Please Yami, we must switch… before it's... too late!'_

 _If I try to read that kid's mind, they'll just switch!_ Pegasus thought. _So, I'll just overtax it!_ "Relinquished," he ordered, "prepare for an attack! Use Dark Magician Girl's power and wipe out her Feral Imp with PILFERED POWER ATTACK!" Relinquished used the energy from Dark Magician Girl and destroyed Feral Imp with Yume screaming out very loud!

' _Yume, quickly!'_ Yami called out, but she was too late as Yume start to fall! _'NO!'_

' _Y-Yami,'_ Yume said, out of energy, _'defeat… Pegasus… p-please!'_ She hit the table, out cold as Yami tried to wake her.

' _Yume, please!'_ Yami called out, but got nothing. _'Wake up!'_ Yami still got nothing, then feared the worst. _'_ _Her spirit can't be sensed. The presence inside the young girl's mind is now empty. I… I don't want her to be gone!'_

"Forget her." Pegasus called out. "The girl was too weak. It takes a person of true fortitude to cope with the harsh unrealities of the Shadow Realm. Just face facts that Yume is gone, and now it's between us again!"

Yami returned to take care of things. "You've used your underhanded tactics to overwhelm Yume's mind! You'll pay for what you did! YUME WILL BE AVENGED!"

"So, I bet that with the emotional outburst, that you're having a difficult time acknowledging the fact that you failed in your self-appointed duty to protect your little dueling protege. Whoever you are, I'd bet that Yume could have been better off without your interference, hmm?"

"SILENCE!" Yami shouted. "For what you have done to Yume, I will show you no mercy until the very end when she's avenged!"

"Then let's continue the game, shall we? It's marked for your turn and without Yume's help, I'm free to read your mind!" Yami draws her card, then Pegasus knows it's Winged Dragon, Guardian Of The Fortress. "A weak monster!"

 _He'll know every card I have, except for Yume's face down. I can't look at it for fear of Pegasus knowing._ She placed a monster down. "Winged Dragon for Defense to end my turn!" Winged Dragon showed up and landed, wings close together.

"Destroying your defensive won't affect your Life Points, but I'm doing it for fun! ATTACK!" Relinquished absorbed the same power and destroyed Winged Dragon, keeping Yami's Life Points safe! "And this card will be your final defeat!" He placed it down. "You've run out of time!"

A ticking monster showed up with a dial and numbers 0, 1, 2, and 3 on it. The arrow is on 2. "Jigen Bakudan!" Yami exclaimed. "The infamous time bomb!"

"That's right!" He said. "Jigen is a self-destructing monster that's immune to attacks. And two turns later, it'll explode and destroy Relinquished."

"Doesn't it make a set back?" Yami asked. "Using Jigen to destroy your own Relinquished?"

"Yes, but the problem is, he has Dark Magician Girl, so he'll be unharmed while those absorbed by him will be destroyed, leaving him unharmed with zero Attack Power from Relinquished himself. You will be the only one to take damage."

 _And not only that,_ Yami thought. _If that time bomb explodes, all chances of freeing the souls of Yume's great-grandfather and the Kaiba Brothers are finished!_

"Face it," Pegasus said. "The clock is ticking down on your demise, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. I just can't remember the last occasion when I had this baby out, which was lots of fun! And two turns until, KABOOM! And nothing can help you! I know it!"

Yami's hand consist of Monster Recovery, Kuriboh, Burning Land, Multiply, and Makiu, The Magical Mist. _It doesn't matter what happens! I'll always be under pressure of Pegasus's' Millennium Eye as he reads what I have!_

"You're too true," Pegasus said, "as long as I can read your mind, nothing will stop me from winning this duel! Just admit it, you've failed and lost!"

 _This is too much for me,_ Yami thought defeatedly. _No matter what happens, I've failed! I'm sorry, Yume. I did what I could, but Pegasus is too much for me. I'm... sorry. I've failed you all: Joey, Téa, Tristan, Yugi, the Kaiba Brothers, and even the Pharaoh and Dark Magician Girl!_

' _Hold it right there!'_ A mysterious voice called out.

' _Huh? Who's there?!'_

' _Yume's mother, Dark Magician Girl! I'm not with you, but a far enough away so Pegasus can't get to us!'_

' _Please help me, Yume collapsed and I can't do anything! Jigen is out on Pegasus' side, and if I don't do anything in time, I'll lose this duel!'_

' _Don't worry, Yami. You have a knack for pulling through to the end.'_

' _But his Millennium Eye! He can-'_

' _Stop doubting yourself, Yami! Yume needs you to win this! Regain your confidence and win this for her!'_

' _I'll… I'll try!'_

' _And most importantly, her friends, who are friends of Yugi's, will be here because they haven't given up on her just yet. Win this for her!'_

Yami is having trouble on whether to draw or not, when she heard something that proved Dark Magician Girl's point. "And even though we might not be able to see just what's going on in there, we'll help you stop Pegasus' cheating and get you back here safely."

She gasped. "My move!" She regained her confidence and drew her card, to which Pegasus immediately tried to see it! At first, she tried to resist, but Pegasus saw it was a Magic card, but it stayed blank.

 _Trying to conceal your card, huh? It won't help you long because my Eye will make sure of it! I'll see it and provide a counter on you!_ He tries to get further, but it failed as it got blocked by a source! "HOW?!" He suddenly shouted. "My Millennium Eyes is being blocked! The powers of the Eye is unstoppable! I should see every card, every strategy and thought you go through!"

"Not anymore, Pegasus," Joey said. "Not so long as we're here helping our buddy out. Get out of her mind and stay out." Pegasus gasped and was blown back!

"Friends, thank you." Yami said. "We can defeat Pegasus together as one."

Pegasus growled hard. "Pegasus!" Téa shouted. "You just don't get it, do you?"

"You think," Joey added, "that your Eye makes all their differences."

"But you're wrong," Tristan finished. "Friends do."

"And with all of us working," Yami added in, "I can save my Dark Magician Girl from your Bakudan detonator."

"Try as you might," he countered, "but you can't! Bakudan will win this duel for me despite what happens!"

"Wrong!" Yami accused. "Because now that these friends are working with me on a whole new level, this is a whole new game! Now prepare yourself, Pegasus. Because with Yume's friends preventing you from seeing the cards I pull, You'll just have to take them as they come! And this turn, they don't come any better than Mystic Box!" She placed it down.

Jigen and Dark Magician Girl were inside one box each. _I'd have countered it if I'd seen it coming! Blast those guys!_ Dark Magician Girl comes out of the free one while Jigen is stuck to Relinquished inside the other one! "The magic of Mystic Box," Yami explained, "freed my Dark Magician Girl and puts Bakudan Detonator in her place!"

"Now, the blast will only destroy Relinquished! No fair!" Pegasus drew his card. "There's nothing I can do, so I pass."

"Very well, Pegasus! It's my move." Yami draws her next card, aware that Pegasus is no longer able to read her mind, then she smirked as Pegasus noticed this and gasped! She placed it down. "BRAIN CONTROL!"

"NO!" Pegasus shouted. "That means Relinquished will be-"

"Brainwashed!" Yami finished as Relinquished was switched to Yami's side of the field. "Under my control for this one turn! So, how does it feel to have the tables turned against you and the powers of mind control failing you?"

Pegasus was shocked, then laughed as he saw his Bakudan detonator arrow reaching 0. "Go ahead and take Relinquished for all I care! That detonator you attached to him is set to go off this turn. It'll blast your Magician and give me the victory."

"You're wrong, Pegasus." He was confused, so Yami picked up a face down card. "Remember that I still have this card face down! The one that took Yume all her courage to place this down. And now to find out what it is!" She revealed it, which turns out to be a Ritual card.

"DARK MAGIC RITUAL!" Yami called out. "And to invoke it's great powers, I must make a double offering. So Jigen Bakudan and Dark Magician Girl are used for this ritual!"

 _With Bakudan as a sacrifice for the Ritual,_ Pegasus thought, _the detonation won't occur because the Magic card goes first! But what did she create?_ A power of unknown surged through, revealing a tornado of darkness.

"The offering has been accepted. And a new power is brought forth! Now, Pegasus. Behold, the MAGICIAN OF BLACK CHAOS!" He showed up and appeared next to Relinquished. "You may have succeeded in putting Yume out of commission, but not before her final courageous act set the stage for the greatest magician in all of Duel Monsters!"

Pegasus gasped. "And with him," Yami added, "Yume will be avenged!" (ATK/DEF Points of Black Chaos Magician: 2800/2600.) "Face it, Pegasus. You're through. No card in your deck can save you now because Yume's last act of courage will now finish you!"

 _It doesn't matter how powerful, she won't stop me! Brain Control is expired after this turn, allowing me to seize control of her Black Chaos Magician. Instead of her being this fool's deliverance, he'll be her undoing!_ "I think," he said to her, "that Magician Of Black Chaos is good enough to end a duel. A lot sooner than you may think! And we shall see."

"And to complete my strategy, I'll play this face down." She does so, but Pegasus's' Millennium Eye is still blocked by her friends. "And then a monster in Defense Mode to end my turn." He can't see that card either.

 _With two cards face down, she's very clever,_ Pegasus thought. _However, she knows that as soon as I get Relinquished back, that Black Chaos Magician is_ _mine_ _! Those two face downs are a way to stop me from doing so._ "It's my turn," Pegasus shouted, "and I get Relinquished back!" He chuckled. "And even with those two cards face down, I think you'll find it that he's just as effective as he is!" _After,_ he thought, _I make a small addition to him and create the most sinister beast my deck can produce! Then I'll crush her, making her regret ever trifling with my powers._

"If you think," Pegasus said as he picked out two cards, "you have Relinquished all figured out." He placed them down. "Think again! I'm using Polymerization to fuse him with Thousand Eyes Idol! And prepare yourself for the ultimate merged monster!" His Relinquished started having a thousand eyes pop out everywhere.

"Using the combination of Thousand Eyes Idol with Relinquished, I created the one and only: Thousand Eyes Restrict! Quite a looker, huh?" (0/0) Yami is confused. "If you think he's a real stunner now, just wait until all thousand of his eyes open up! Then I'll think that you'll find that he's much more than just a pretty face, right?" He chuckled. "The end is truly in sight, wouldn't you say?"

She growled. "Not with Chaos Magician protecting me!"

He chuckled again. "Oh, I think that you'll find that once all eye are on your Black Chaos Magician, he won't be able to protect himself!" He laughed. "But trust me, you'll see soon enough what I mean." _And when,_ Pegasus thought, _every eye on my Thousand Restrict opens up, and every monster that Yume has on her field will be paralyzed, unable to attack or defend!_

The eyes starts opening on the Thousand Restrict. _Then nothing will stop me from assimilating that Chaos Mage and winning this duel for me once and for all!_

 _I,_ Yami thought, _have no idea what Pegasus is planning with that monstrosity of his, but it can't be good. So I must stop it before it happens!_ "Do whatever, Pegasus, because the Chaos Mage that Yume has given me will be the one to destroy you!"

"We'll see." Pegasus said, then ordered, "Thousand Eyes Restrict, OPEN THOSE PEEPERS OF YOURS!"

"Chaos Mage, PREPARE YOURSELF! HOLD HIM OFF AS BEST YOU CAN!"

"You can't hold this attack off!" Pegasus cried out. "Because I unleash the Thousand Eye Spell!" Thousand Eyes had all the eyes glow when all are opened at the Chaos Mage, causing him to become defenseless as he glows the same color.

He chuckled. "You're Chaos Mage," Pegasus said, "is trapped by the mystic gaze of my ultimate beast! And don't think you can rescue him, because there's no escaping from the mesmerizing eyes whose gaze blankets your field. Even the hidden monster is paralyzed."

"You still haven't won yet, Pegasus!" Yami pointed out.

"Don't be a fool, Yume, because in a few moments, my Thousand's Restrict will assimilate your Chaos Mage, absorb his magic power and finish you off with on thunderous blast! And there's nothing that you can do to prevent it. And now, accept it! I've beaten you. Yume's last hope has failed you, and now the Puzzle is mine! Come to me, Chaos Mage." Yami waited for the right moment. "ABSORPTION FORCE!"

Yami took action instantly. "Just the kind of play I need!" She played her cards as Pegasus laughed. "In mere moments, your Chaos Mage will be assimilated and his powers will be mine to control!"

"Wrong!" Pegasus looked again and saw a lot, by which means _a lot,_ of Kuriboh's thanks to the Magic card, Multiply. "But you _were_ right about effecting my hidden monsters, specifically, my Kuriboh! And it paralyzed him along with my Chaos Mage!"

"WHAT?!" Pegasus shouted as Yami revealed a Magic card. "Not only that," she added, "I used Multiply on Kuriboh, which makes a whole army to make!" Many Kuriboh's are surrounding the Dark Mage. _Disgusting fuzz balls!_ He thought. _They're spreading like wildfire!_

Yami also called in about Thousand's Restrict ability. "Since it's too late," she said, "to call it back, the absorption force spell you casted on your Thousand's Restrict, he'll have no choice but to absorb the powers of my army of Kuribohs. If it can, that is!" Thousand's Restrict started sucking in the Kuribohs to assimilate the powers, and every eye is covered by a Kuriboh.

"Those furried freaks," Pegasus exclaimed, "covered him from head to toe! There _has_ to be 1000 of them!"

Yami chuckled. "Tens of thousands, Pegasus!" Yami corrected, then added, "And because of the way the Kuribohs attack, you are about to see just as many EXPLOSIONS!"

"NO!" Pegasus shouted as the Kuribohs are exploding, weakening Thousand's Restrict, rendering it worthless for an attack! "Kuribohs self-destruct on contact!" A big smoke played due to 1000 explosions made by the Kuribohs until it cleared again. "Curse you, Yume Muto and your Kuriboh's!" Pegasus cursed.

"Of course," Yami said, "and since Kuriboh was my monster, I'll only lose 300 Life Points." Dropped to 300. "But still, that's a small price to pay for crippling that giant eyesore!"

"IMPOSSIBLE!" _But not only that, I have to wait another turn until Thousand's Restrict can open them again, but by then, it'll be too late because Yume will attack at the first chance she gets!_

"And since," Yami added, "you're transfixing gaze has been broken, my Chaos Mage is free, and you are through, Pegasus! ATTACK WITH CHAOS SCEPTER BLAST!" Her Chaos Mage charged up his staff, then released a shockwave by hitting it on the ground that struck Thousand's Restrict, exploding it! "Thousand Eyes Restrict has been destroyed!"

"NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Pegasus shouted out as his Life Points hit zero and the Shadows start to weaken and Yume is back from the collapse exhaustion and switched. "Pegasus," she said looking at him, "you're finished. We've won!"

 _Impossible!_ Pegasus thought. _How can this be?_ He gasped. _My Eye and magic has failed me! Forgive me, Cecilia, my love!_

Yume in relief as she talked to Yami again. _'Yami,'_ she said to her counterpart, _'I don't know how to thank you!'_

' _It was your courage,'_ Yami reminded, _'and the love your friends had for you that prevailed this day. Not only that, but your mother has talked to me and given me the confidence I need to win that duel!'_

' _As well as your determination, Yami. We did it together! Everyone did, and it was all worth it!'_ The Shadows continued clearing and eventually disappeared. "YUME!" She heard her name shouted out as she turned around and saw her friends there.

* * *

After that duel, Pegasus did Yume's favor and returned the souls to Solomon Muto and the Kaiba brothers. She was also given a check for $3 million, but she gave that to Joey.


	15. Ties Of Friendship

FINALLY! Almost complete. Just this one and then the next one. After that, the next chapter will be an introduced to something new for a change. Enjoy!

Yume and friends returned to the Game Shop owned by Yugi's grandpa with him coming along, when they saw a girl there.

"Hey!" She shouted and they all looked at her. "I have something to say to you! That is, if you're who I think you are!" She approached them, then looked at Yume's great-grandfather. "Are you Mr. Solomon Muto?"

"That would be me," he said. "And who would you be, little girl?"

"Who would I be?" She repeated. "I might be Rebecca. And I might have just arrived in town again. And I might've been waiting for you to show up! It's not nice to keep a lady waiting, you know."

' _Yami, I know her!'_ Yume called out to her. _'That's Rebecca Hawkins, who had a crush on my Father. But, lucky for me, she's not my mother, otherwise it'd be weird!'_

' _I know, Yume. You stay here and see what she needs and if Solomon needs help, jump right in!'_

"Before you say anything else," Joey butted in. "What's a little squirt like you doing here, travelling all by herself, anyway? That's dangerous."

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much!" She said impolitely. "And if not, I have Teddy to protect me. Isn't that right, Teddy?" She asked her stuffed bear. Joey was creeped out because she's talking to a stuffed bear.

"Rebecca, wait. What exactly do you want from me?"

"The Blue Eyes White Dragon! I want my card back, you thief!"

"Hang on," Téa said. "There's a slight problem with that."

"The Blue Eyes White Dragon," Rebecca explained, "is a rare and powerful card that only belongs in the deck of a true champion. I, Rebecca, am the true champion!" Yume just laughed, but stopped suddenly. "What's so funny, girly?!" She demanded at Yume.

"Sorry," she said, "I didn't mean to laugh! What do you mean, true champion?"

"I've beaten all the top duelists in America. And I'm here to get it back!"

"Hold on, guys!" Yume said. "She might not be lying. I remember hearing from someone I know. He read an article, before his moments at Duelist Kingdom about a Duel Monsters prodigy. She caused a major sensation."

Joey knelt down to her. "You're not telling me that this little pipsqueak's really the national champion, right? Get real, Yume!"

"What's the deal?" She shouted at Joey. "Are you questioning my dueling credentials, pal?"

Joey got back up. "Don't give me any lip! I got credentials, too! Second in Duelist Kingdom Tournament."

"That's true," Tristan added, "but I bet you don't even know _how_ to spell 'credentials.'"

"I know all about that." Rebecca said. "First place in that Tournament belonged to Yume Orskov, and second place was Joey Wheeler. But who cares about second place? First is all that matters!" Joey was about to go after her, but Tristan held him back!

"Rebecca," Solomon said, "I'm a bit confused. Why do you think that your championship entitles you to the Blue Eyes White Dragon?"

"I don't think that," Rebecca corrected. "The Blue Eyes White Dragon should be mine because you stole it from me!"

"Hold on, Rebecca!" Yume called out. "Why would Mr. Muto be a thief into stealing a Blue Eyes White Dragon?! That would _never_ happen!"

"Well," Rebecca explained, "there's only four copies of those in the world. I know Kaiba has three, which leaves one left. One that belongs to me and I can't find it! That missing card belongs to me, and if you don't give it back this instant, then I demand a duel for the right to own it!"

"Rebecca, wait!" Yume said reassuringly. "You don't understand. Mr. Muto is not afraid to duel you. That card is rare, like you said, but…" She doesn't know what else to say.

"I HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR EXCUSES!" Rebecca yelled out. "Come on and duel me, old man! Solomon Muto, if I win, you give me back the Blue Eyes!"

"ENOUGH!" Yume shouted, jumping everyone again. She looked at Rebecca with a stern look. "What does it take to get the message, Rebecca?! Mr. Muto is not ready for a duel because he just got out of the hospital! If it helps you, _I'll_ duel you!" She took out her Duel Monsters deck.

"Alright, I accept, Yume! Do you worst!" Soon, they got a dueling arena in Kaibaland after some consideration from Mokuba, and then they got ready for their duel. Solomon is wondering who this girl, Rebecca, really is.

Yume and Rebecca drew their respective hands, with Rebecca going first. She played down a card. "Witch Of The Black Forest for Attack Mode!" Her Witch came forth.

 _What's going on with Rebecca? Witch Of The Black Forest is a weak monster. Every monster has a way of being played. So, why did she?_ Yume drew her card, then placed down a monster. "Celtic Guardian for Attack Mode!" Her elf showed up. "ATTACK THE WITCH!" He charged after the Witch, and sliced it to oblivion!

"So much for the Black Forest Witch." Yume called out as Rebecca's Life Points drop to 1700.

"NO!" Rebecca whined. "You put my Witch in the Graveyard! What am I going to do? Oh, that's right! Witch Of The Black Forest has a special ability! Whenever she gets sent to the Graveyard, I get another monster in my deck with up to 1500 Defense Points! And I can shuffle my deck after."

She did it all, then about her next move. Finally, she placed a monster down. "Sangan for Attack!" A three eyed hairball showed up. "Isn't he so cute?"

"Not for long, Rebecca!" Yume called out as she ordered Celtic Guardian to destroy that monster! The elf slashed it and it got destroyed by dropping Rebecca's Life Points to 1300. "Not again!" She whined again. "Why do you have to be so mean?!"

Yume was losing hit by just hearing her complaints and whining. "That's enough Rebecca! I'm just playing this game."

"Now little Yume's yelling at me." Rebecca whined even further, pushing Yume's buttons.

"I'm not yelling at you!"

"Oh don't worry, Yume, because Sangan has an ability as well! If he goes to the Graveyard, I get another monster. Mainly, up to 1500 Attack Points!"

Solomon realized that the duel Rebecca and his great-granddaughter was similar to the one his grandson faced off, which rings a bell of a strategy. "Now," Rebecca said, "the kid gloves are off! Time for some serious business!"

"Now she's a lot more serious," Yume whispered to herself as Rebecca does Sangan's ability and takes her turn. "Now for a magic card!" Rebecca said as she did so. "Tribute Of The Doomed. I discard one card from my hand in exchange for destroying one monster on the field! Just watch."

Rebecca discarded a card, and then Celtic Guardian was being wrapped in mummy bandages, completely covered, then a hand came out and take the elf down! "Celtic Guardian is finished, so I place one monster in Defense and end my turn." A glow appeared on the spot of the Defense monster. "Things'll get interesting from now on, Yume."

 _That little kid stuff was just an act to put down her opponent's defense so she'll win! She's done it on me and it worked out so far. She really_ _is_ _a serious duelist._ Yume draws her card. "My turn, Rebecca! And I play Summoned Skull for an attack on your face down!" Summoned Skull started charging up, but Rebecca smirked.

"Nice try, Yume!" Rebecca said as she revealed her monster. "But the Defense monster was Millennium Shield! With 3000 Defense Points, _you'll_ lose the difference instead of me!" Summoned Skull discharged at the Millennium Shield, but the Shield stays. And Yume's Life Points dropped to 1500 while Rebecca was laughing!

Yume's friends are surprised that Rebecca can actually duel, while Solomon is still puzzled on the eight-year-old. When he knew that a card like that is before in one of his past duels! And that it's being copied again by Yume and Rebecca. "You seemed surprised about that exchange, right? Told you I was a child prodigy. It's been easy since the beginning!"

She placed one more card down. "I'll also play Ring Of Magnetism on my Millennium Shield!" _Why would she play that?_ Yume thought. _Millennium Shield actually gets weaker, making it a less of a big target. Even a Blue Eyes can destroy it in one blast!_

"I'll just pass my turn, Rebecca!"

"A wait-and-see strategy! But I'm still moving on because I play Cannon Soldier in Attack Mode!" A machine with a cannon on top showed up.

"Careful, Yume!" Solomon warned and her friends were confused. "If Rebecca," he explained, "sacrifices a monster, Yume will lose 500 of direct damage against her Life Points!"

"She wouldn't have time, Gramps!" Joey said. "Yume will blast that thing into oblivion!"

Yume knew that something has to happen, or she'll lose Life Points. "Summoned Skill, ATTACK CANNON SOLDIER! LIGHTNING STRIKE!" Summoned Skull charged up, and then released it on Cannon Soldier, only to have it redirected on the Millennium Shield! "What just happened?"

"Ring Of Magnetism did its thing!" Rebecca called out laughing. "It draws all attacks you had planned and reverts it to the equipped monster. While it stays on the field, all attacks will hit the Millennium Shield!"

 _A stand off between our monsters!_ Yume thought. _With 2500 each, nothing happens. No monster is destroyed as well as no Life Points lost. I have to break the Shield to win!_

Rebecca giggled as she drew her next card: Shadow Ghoul! _He'll come in handy a little later!_ "For now, I play Witch Of The Black Forest again in Attack Mode!" Yume gasped lightly. "Witch," Rebecca ordered, "you'll be sacrificed for my Cannon Soldier's ability! So that way, Yume's Life Points will be hit!"

Her Witch was sacrificed as some of her power was directed to Cannon Soldier, blasting away at Yume and knocking her Life Points down to 1000. "500 pegs down, and I get another card!" She got her card. "I was more talented than a Muto could ever be! And I know I'm better than _you_ , Yume Orskov, as I will defeat you here and now!"

Then it hits Solomon. "Rebecca," Solomon said, "can you tell me your last name again?"

"Took you that long to figure it out, old man?" Rebecca said. "Rebecca Hawkins is my name, the granddaughter of the archeologist Arthur Hawkins! Whom you stole the Blue Eyes White Dragon from, as well as the friendship you betrayed!"

"That's enough, Rebecca!" Yume called out. "I know long enough from him that he'd _never_ betrayed a friend!"

"That's your thoughts, Yume! But he really _is_ a thief! He stole the Blue Eyes White Dragon from my grandfather twice! And you'll be the one to pay!"

"Listen, Rebecca! I'm saying this once and only once: Mr. Muto didn't steal that Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"I HAD ENOUGH, YUME!" Rebecca yelled as Yume almost lost her cool and had Yami take place, but Solomon told Rebecca of a side story he and Arthur went through the dangers they faced and the duel that they had for the one canteen of water.

"Not only that," he added, "but you two have been playing it card by card! Just as Rebecca faced off against Yugi before."

"Yugi?" Rebecca asked that herself, then it clicked on. "You're in relation to Yugi, right, Yume?"

"His daughter, more or less!" After trying to convince Rebecca the truth, she just ignored it, saying it was all a lie and continued the duel. Yami drew her next card, ready to teach her not to mess with the Muto family. "Catapult Turtle for Attack!"

Her turtle showed up. "I can sacrifice any monster I choose on my field. When said and done, half of the sacrificed Attack Points goes straight to your Life Points!"

"It's not going to help." Rebecca said, but Yami played a face down.

"With Brain Control, then yes! I can brainwash one monster you control for one turn. And I choose your Millennium Shield!" The Shield disappeared, then reappeared on Yume's side, on top of Catapult Turtle. "Now I sacrifice it for Catapult Turtle!"

Catapult Turtle launched, but the Shield got destroyed before hitting Rebecca because of its zero ATK Points. "I'm not done yet, Rebecca! Summoned Skull, DESTROY HER CANNON SOLDIER!" Summoned Skull charged up, this time destroying Cannon Soldier and dropping Rebecca's Life Points to her last 200!

 _Guess,_ Rebecca thought, _Yume was a better duelist than I thought! Now I see why she won the Duelist Kingdom Tournament! She must've played the same moves as her father, Yugi!_

 _It doesn't matter anyway, because my plan is going well! I don't have enough monsters in my Graveyard as I only have six!_ Rebecca drew her next card, then laughed.

"I play the Magic card Judgment Blaster!" She said as she put it down. "I discard five cards from my hand, in exchange for obliterating every monster you had on the field!" A purple orb showed up and exploding, wiping out Yume's monsters! "And then I summon my favorite monster!" She played it down as a nightmare insect came in.

"Up from the depths comes the creepy, and, oh, so lovable, SHADOW GHOUL IN ATTACK MODE! And for every monster I have in my Graveyard, Shadow Ghoul gains 100 Attack Points for each monster this way!" (ATK Points: 2700.)

"An eleven monster sacrifice," Yami exclaimed, "just to bring him out?!" She nodded, but she shook her head. "Duel Monsters isn't about tossing aside all your best creatures. Each and every monster has an ability and demands its own kind of respect. If you throw them away-"

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" Rebecca shouted, interrupting Yume. "Dueling has nothing to do with respecting your monsters. The only thing caring about is winning! Everyone knows that!"

' _I don't believe this, Yami,'_ Yume said. _'Rebecca is good with strategies and tactics of Duel Monsters, but there's one thing she's forgetting!'_

' _You mean, the heart of the cards?'_

' _That's right!'_

' _Knock some sense into her this way!'_ They switched and Yume placed a monster in Defense, announcing it.

Rebecca drew her next card, then smirked. "What I lack in respect, I get great talent!" She plays the card down. "Stop Defense Magic card!" Yume's face down was the Dark Magician. "Now, GREEN VAPOR SHROUDS!" Shadow Ghoul relased green vapor at the Dark Magician, destroying him and sending Yume's Life Points down to 800.

Yume draws her next card. "Swords Of Revealing Light! I'm stopping you from attacking for three turns!" Sword of light appeared, surrounding Rebecca's field. Rebecca just passed her turn. Yume draws her next card: Dark Magician Girl. "I play Dark Magician Girl!" She showed up with improved strength.

 _Trying to send in a pupil, huh Yume?_ Rebecca thought. _She wouldn't last long as I destroy her after two turns!_ Rebecca plays down a second Cannon Soldier.

 _She_ _wants_ _me to attack, but I can't risk another shot from that thing!_ "ATTACK, DARK MAGICIAN GIRL!" She charged up her staff, then destroyed Cannon Soldier, only to carge up Shadow Ghoul by another 100 ATK Points!

"I pass this turn." Swords Of Revealing Light vanished. "I can attack next turn and your Dark Magician Girl's history!"

Yume had Book Of Secret Arts face down, but decided not to play it as she readied her next card. She drew it, but didn't look at it just yet. Instead she placed it back on top of her deck and placed her hand on it. "I surrender!"

a/n In case your wondering, Yume's drawn card was Soul Release, which can remove five cards from either Graveyard. If she played that, then Book Of Secret Arts would be equipped with Dark Magician Girl and Yume would've won, but she didn't and instead surrendered.


End file.
